Feb 03, 2021 Special Board of County Commissioners

[Call to Order by Chair]

[00:00:09]

>> GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME. AS PRELIMINARY MARY I AM JEREMIAH BLOCKER CHAIR OF THE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS. PLEASE PERMIT ME TO CHECK AND SEE IF WE HAVE THE BOARD MEMBERS HERE AND WE WILL CALL ROLE IN A FEW MOMENTS.

WELCOME TO THIS SPECIAL JOINT MEETING OF THE ST. JOHNS COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD AND THE ST. JOHNS COUNTY COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. I LIKE TO GIVE A WARM WELCOME TO THE CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THEIR STAFF WHO JOINED US. I WILL READ THROUGH SOME PRELIMINARY MATTERS AND AS WE TALK ABOUT THE JOINT MEETING AND THE CONTEXT OF IT. IN ORDER TO MITIGATE THE TRANSMISSION OF THE CORONAVIRUS AND REDUCE THE RISK OF COVID-19 ILLNESS, THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS HAS ADOPTED PROCEDURES TO CONDUCT MEETINGS USING REMOTE PARTICIPATION. IT IS SO THE PUBLIC HAS A MEANS TO COMMENT WITHOUT ATTENDING.

THERE ARE THE PHONE NUMBERS TO USE TO CALL IN.

EVEN IF THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC DO NOT COMMENT, PEOPLE MAY BE LISTENING THAT DO NOT PROVIDE COMMENT AND THOSE PERSONS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO IDENTIFY THEMSELVES.

PLEASE NOTE THIS MEETING IS BEING RECORDED.

FOR THOSE CALLING IN TO COMMENT IF YOU RECEIVE A BUSY SIGNAL, PLEASE CALL BACK. IN ADDITION, PLEASE SELF-TIME THE THREE-MINUTE TIME LIMIT BECAUSE THE THREE-MINUTE COMMENT TIMER MAY NOT BE VISIBLE TO YOU IF YOU CALL IN REMETLY. AND PLEASE MUTE YOUR PHONE IF YOU ARE WAITING TO COMMENT AND MUTE THE MEETING ON THE TELEVISION OR COMPUTER WHEN SPEAKING.

THERE MAY BE A 30-SECOND TIME DELAY IN THE VISUAL PRESENTATIONS. IF WE EXPERIENCE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES WE WILL TAKE A BRIEF RECESS, PAUSE AND RESET AND THEN WE'LL RESUME THE MEETING.

THE MEETING MATERIALS TODAY ARE POSTED ON THE COUNTY WEBSITE UNDER AGENDA AND MINUTES.

ONCE YOU FIND THESE -- THE MEETING AGENDA YOU CAN CLICK ON THE AGENDA ITEM TO ACCESS IF THERE ARE ANY SUPPORTING MATERIALS. TODAY WE WILL CONDUCT TWO ROLE CALLS. ONE FOR THE COUNTY COMMISSION AND ONE FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD WHICH WE WILL GET TO JOINTLY.

AS THIS IS A JOINT MEETING OF THE BOARDS I CHAIR THIS SCHOOL BOARD CHANGE PATRICK CANAN. IT HAS BEEN ADVERTISED AS A MEETING, BUT IF CHAIR CANAN AGREES WE CAN PROCEED SOMEWHAT INFOR NATIONALLY IN THE -- INFORMALLY IN THE SPIRIT OF A WORKSHOP SO WE CAN TALK AND WORK.

BOARDS COLLECT -- COLLECTIVELY COME TOGETHER TO IDENTIFY PROBLEMS AND TALK THROUGH SOME IDEAS AND WORK TOGETHER.

AFTER THE MEETING IS CALLED TO ORDER OUR CLERK WILL DO A ROLE CALL OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND OF THE SCHOOL BOARD.

BEFORE WE PROCEED TO THE FORMAL AGENDA I WOULD LIKE OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY TO DESCRIBE SOME OF THE LEGAL ASPECTS OF THE MEETING IN CASE THERE IS A DESIRE OF EITHER BOARD FORE

OFFICIAL ACTION. >> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR AND WELCOME CHAIR CANAN AND THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND MEMBERS OF THE LISTENING PUBLIC. THIS IS A JOINT MEETING OF THE TWO BOARDS. IT IS NOT A 10-MEMBER SUPER BOARD. IT IS A SCHOOL BOARD OF FIVE AND BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSION OF FIVE.

I DON'T KNOW IF EITHER BOARD WOULD TAKE ANY ACTION TODAY.

THIS MAY BE AN IN -- AN INPUT, RECEIVE INFORMATION-TYPE THING. IF ANY BOARD DECIDED TO IT WOULD BE THAT INDIVIDUAL BOARD THAT WOULD MAKE THE DECISION AND TAKE A MAJORITY OF THAT BOARD TO MAKE A DECISION.

THAT'S REALLY KIND OF THE COMMENTS.

WELL, I WILL SAY THIS WAS ADVISE -- THIS WAS ADVERTISED SUFFICIENT FOR SUNSHINE PURPOSES.

AGAIN, IT WOULD REALLY BE UP TO EITHER OF THE BOARDS IF THEY WANTED TO TAKE ACTION OR IF THERE ARE ISSUES COMING UP AND HOW THEY WERE VETTED TO THE PARTICULAR SYSTEM.

DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENT ON THAT?

>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. >> ALTHOUGH COMMENT WILL BE HEARD AT THE END OF THE MEETING AS WE GO THROUGH THE AGENDA ITEMS, MY PURPOSE AS CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD I WANT TO LISTEN AND UNDERSTAND MY COLLEAGUES ON THE COUNTY COMMISSION AND THE SCHOOL BOARD BECAUSE WITH THE SUNSHINE LAWS IT GIVES US THE ABILITY TO HAVE AN OPEN

DISCUSSION. >> GOOD MORNING.

I AM PATRICK CANAN AND CHAIRMAN OF THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THANK YOU MR. BLOCKER AND THE REST OF THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR INVITING US HERE.

I THINK IT IS A GREAT IDEA TO SHARE IDEAS AND TRY TO COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS TO DIFFERENT PROBLEMS WE ARE ALL EXPERIENCING. I DO AGREE THIS SHOULD BE AN INFORMAL MEETING. I DON'T THINK THERE IS ANY CHANCE THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS GONNA BE TRYING TO MAKE MOTIONS TODAY. WE JUST REALLY WANT TO

[00:05:02]

>> THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN CANAN. >> WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT HERE TODAY AND CLERK OF COURT TODAY, OUR SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS AND SOME OF OUR OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS AND PROPERTY APPRAISER AS WELL.

AS WE GO THROUGH SOME OF THE AGENDA ITEMS IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS FROM THE COLLECTIVE BOARDS WE WILL LOOK TO YOU FOR HOPEFULLY SOME ANSWERS AND INSIGHTS.

WE HAVE SOME OTHER STAFF FROM BOTH BOARDS HERE AS WELL.

WE WILL GO INTO THE ROLE CALL FOR COUNTY COMMISSION FIRST.

>> CHAIR COMMISSIONER JEREMIAH BLOCKER.

>> PRESENT. >> VICE CHAIR COMMISSIONER

HENRY DEAN. >> PRESENT.

>> COMMISSIONER CHRISTIAN WHITEHURST.

>> PRESENT. >> COMMISSIONER JEB SMITH.

>> PRESENT. >> COMMISSIONER.

>> PAUL WALDRON: DRON. >> -- RUPAUL -- RUPAUL

PAUL WALL DRAWN. >> YES.

>> MRS. SLAW. >> PRESENT.

>> MRS. BARRERA. >> HERE.

>> MR. MINON. >> HERE.

>> MR. COLEMAN. >> HERE.

>> AND MR. CANAN. >> HERE.

>> SHOULD I FORMALLY OPEN A MEETING FOR THE ST. JOHNS COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD? I WILL TAKE THE GAVEL AND I AM GOING TO HERE BY OPEN THE MEETING FOR ST. JOHNS COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD HERE ON FEBRUARY 3D , 2021 AT THE ST. JOHNS COUNTY COMMISSION. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU MR. CHAIRMAN. AND THIS TIME WE WILL RECEIVE OUR INVOCATION. PASTOR KELLY.

>> I WILL SHARE PROVERBS CHAPTER 1 AND VERSE 7.

THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS THE KNOWLEDGE THAT FOOLS WISDOM AND DESTRUCTION. IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO RECOGNIZE THE LORD AS WE COME TO ANY DECISIONS WE MAKE.

THAT'S WHERE KNOWLEDGE COMES FROM WHEN WE PUT OUR FEAR IN HIM. LET US PRAY.

OUR MOST PRECIOUS HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY, LORD. WE THANK YOU FOR THIS SCHOOL BOARD AND THE COUNTY COMMISSION AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND ALL OF THOSE WHO SERVE IN PUBLIC SERVICE. THANK YOU, GOD, FOR PULLING US TOGETHER, DEAR LORD AND WE LOOK TO YOU HEAVENLY FATHER TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY AND BLESS OUR CHILDREN.

SAFETY IS ONE OF THE AGENDA ITEMS AND WE PRAY YOU KEEP ALL OF OUR KIDS SAFE. WE PRAY YOU GIVE THEM A SHIELD OF PROTECTION. WE THANK YOU FOR THIS, LORD.

THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO BE HERE, GOD IN JESUS' MOST PRECIOUS NAME. AMEN.

>> BEFORE WE GO TO THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE I WANT MR. JEB SMITH TO PRAY FOR THE TWO FBI AGENTS LOST YESTERDAY.

>> THANK YOU FOR BEING A GREAT AND GRACIOUS GOD.

THANK YOU, LORD THAT YOU DO HAVE CONTROL AND POSSESS THE POWER OF LIFE. AS JESUS SAID I AM THE WAY THE TRUTH AND THE LIGHT AND NO MAN COME TO THE FATHER BUT BY ME.

THANK YOU FOR PUTTING -- FOR LETTING US PUT OUR TRUST IN YOU. FATHER, WE PRAY FOR THE FAMILIES OF THOSE WHO LOST LIVES, THESE TWO AGENTS AND LORD WE THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH THAT YOU CAN PROVIDE COMFORT THAT PASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING ALONG WITH PEACE.

WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOVE AND WE PRAY IT ENCOMPASSES THE FAMILIES AT THIS POINT IN TIME WITH GRIEF AND SORROW.

FATHER, I AM THANKFUL FOR HIS DEATH AND OUR SINS -- FOR OUR SINS AND THE BURIAL AND RESURRECTION.

IT IS IN JESUS' NAME WE PRAY. >> WE WILL ASK SERGEANT TO

LEAD US. >> PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE

PLEDGE TO OUR GREAT NATION. >> I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION, UNDERGOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH DIB TEE AND JUS -- LIBERTY AND

JUSTICE FOR ALL. >> PLEASE BE SEATED.

[Regular Agenda]

>> AT THIS TIME LET'S MOVE TO THE COUNTY COMMISSIONS DE LESIONS -- DE LESIONS -- DELETINS AND ADDITIONS.

MR. SMITH? >> I WOULD LIKE TO ADD SOMETHING ON IF TIME PERMITS AND OTHER BUSINESS.

I DON'T WANT TO MAKE IT A SPECIFIC ITEM, BUT IF WE DO

[00:10:01]

>> COMMISSIONER DEAN? >> NONE.

>> COMMISSIONER WHITEHURST? >> NONE.

>> COMMISSIONER WALTER? >> NONE.

>> I HAVE NONE. >> IS THERE A MOTION TO

APPROVE THE AGENDA? >> SO MOVED.

>> WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER SMITH TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER DEAN.

PLEASE VOTE. ACTUALLY WE WILL DO IT AS A

VOICE VOTE. >> WHITEHURST.

>> YES. >> WALTER?

>> YES. >> SMITH?

>> YES. >> MR. DEAN?

>> YES. >> I AM A YES AND IT PASSES.

>> INASMUCH AS THE COUNTY IS HOSTING THE MEETING AND PUBLISHED THE AGENDA I DON'T THINK IT IS NECESSARY.

[1. School Safety]

>> THANK YOU. >> SO WE WILL GO INTO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE, SCHOOL SAFETY.

AGAIN, WE WILL OPEN THIS UP TO BOTH BOARDS TO ENGAGE IN CONVERSATION AND IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK DRECKLY AND -- DIRECTLY AND GO FROM THERE.

I WILL SIT BACK AND LISTEN. >> IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE COULD HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT SCHOOL SAFETY.

IT HAS BEEN A PRIMARY CONCERN OF COURSE OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ESPECIALLY SINCE PARKLAND.

I HAVE BEEN VERY PLEASED AND IMPRESSED WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S RESPONSE TO WHAT HAPPENED AT PARKLAND AND VERY COMFORTED BY THE RELATIONSHIP WE HAVE WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND HOW THEY STEPPED UP QUICKLY AND HELPED US COME UP WITH PROTOCOL TO ENSURE THAT EACH SCHOOL WAS SAFE AND COME UP WITH PROTOCOLS FOR HOW CHILDREN SHOULD REACT IN AN EMERGENCY. IT DOES TAKE A TEAM.

IT TAKES US TALKING ABOUT IT. IT IS A SAD REALITY THAT WE HAVE TO FOCUS SO MUCH ON SAFETY, BUT IN THIS CURRENT AGE IT IS OBVIOUSLY NECESSARY.

I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN PERSONALLY OPPOSED TO MAKING OUR SCHOOLS MINI FORTRESSES. IT JUST DOESN'T SEEM TO BE THE RIGHT SOLUTION TO PUT ALL OF THE CHILDREN IN THE SCHOOL AND LOCK THE DOORS AND NO ONE CAN COME IN AND OUT.

OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE TO TRY TO FIND SOME WAY TO ALLOW EGRESS/INGRESS, BUT WITH SAFETY PROTOCOL.

AS MANY OF YOU MAY KNOW, WE'VE GONE THROUGH A LOT OF CHANGES AT EACH PARTICULAR SCHOOL ESPECIALLY AT THE INGRESS TO THE SCHOOL. YEARS BACK SOMEBODY COULD VISIT THE SCHOOL AND JUST WALK RIGHT IN.

THAT OBVIOUSLY HAD TO BE STOPPED.

OVER TIME WE HAVE GONE TO EACH SCHOOL AND IS NOW SOMEWHERE IN THE 40S. I FORGET HOW MANY WE HAVE, BUT IT IS IN THE 40S, AND IT IS GROWING RAPIDLY.

SO OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COUNTY BECAUSE IT DOES A LOT OF TIMES COME DOWN TO DOLLARS BECAUSE OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND REALLY ALSO THE SAINT AUGUSTINE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT INVOLVES TRANSACTIONS AND INVOLVES MONEY. WORKING TOGETHER IS CRITICAL IN FINDING WAYS TO DETERMINE WHERE THE MONEY SHOULD BE SPENT. SO I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE -- SHOULD BE PART OF WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THIS MORNING IS WHAT IS THE PRIORITY AS FAR AS SAFETY GOES AND WHERE SHOULD WE PUT THE MONEY TO MAKE SURE OUR CHILDREN ARE SAFE. I WILL JUST START THAT OFF AND SEE IF SOMEONE ELSE WANTS TO FOLLOW ME UP.

>> I WOULD LIKE TO FOLLOW-UP A LITTLE BIT AND THANK THE COUNTY COMMISSION AND THANK THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT FOR THE COOPERATION THAT WE HAVE ALWAYS HAD ESPECIALLY SINCE PARKLAND. THE COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS THAT WE HAVE CRAFTED TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE SAFETY OFFICERS IN OUR SCHOOLS, POLICE OFFICERS IN OUR SCHOOL AS WELL AS JUST THE COOPERATION BETWEEN THE CAPITAL OUTLAY PORTION OF THINGS. WE DON'T NEED TO BE IN THE BUSINESS OF OWNING POLICE CARS AND THE AGREEMENTS WE WERE ABLE TO CRAFT WITH YOU AND THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT MADE ME

VERY HAPPY SO THANKS SO MUCH. >> WHILE WE ARE ON THIS TOPIC,

[00:15:05]

SHERIFF? GOOD MORNING.

>> GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIR OR MR. CHAIRS I GUESS YOU COULD SAY. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING THIS MEETING AND ALLOWING US TO SPEAK. ON BEHALF OF THE MEN AND WOMEN OF ST. JOHN'S SHERIFF'S OFFICE BECAUSE OF THE SUNSHINE WE CAN SPEAK TO YOU TOGETHER COLLECTIVELY AND ADDRESS THESE CONCERNS. I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE SOME OF MY STAFF ARE HERE SO OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND THE PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE KNOW SOME OF THE CHANGES I MADE IN THE ST. JOHNS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE IN THE THREE WEEKS I HAVE BEEN YOUR SHERIFF.

IF YOU DON'T MIND STANDING UP.

DIRECTOR PERRY HAGEMAN IN THE FAR BACK CORNER IS THE GENERAL SERVICES DIVISION. MOST OF YOU KNOW HIM.

HE IS OUR RETIRED ATAG AFTER A LONG SERVICE.

HE WAS NUMBER 2 IN THE FLORIDA NATIONAL GUARD AND RUNNING GENERAL SERVICES TO INCLUDE FINANCES IN THE ST. JOHNS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE TO NAME A FEW THINGS.

DIRECTOR SCOTT BIEBER WHO WILL BE AT THE PODIUM IN A MINUTE.

HE IS IN OUR PATROL DIVISION. IT CONTROLS THE WIRE TO THE SCHOOLS AND THE TRAFFIC DIVISION AND THE PATROL DEPUTY SHERIFFS IN THE ST. JOHNS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

HE HAS THE LARGEST DIVISION AND THE MOST HEAVY LIFT.

OUR GENERAL COUNCIL, MATT KLEIN HAS BEEN AT OUR SHERIFF'S OFFICE FOR A LONGTIME.

THE HOMICIDE INVESTIGATIONS UNIT AND HE IS YOUR DIRECT LINK WITH YOUR COUNCIL ON BOTH BOARDS.

I AM GOING TO BRING UP TO THE PODIUM HERE.

SHE IS WALKING UP AND I WILL INTRODUCE CAPTAIN PEGGY TENNISON. I DON'T THINK I MISSED ANYONE. CAPTAIN TENNISON WAS RECENTLY PROMOTED. SHE WAS BORN AND RAISED AND SHE IS THE CAPTAIN OVER THE YOUTH RESOURCES DIVISION AT THE SCHOOLS AND PAL PROGRAM AND TRAFFIC PROGRAM.

WITH YOUR PERMISSION MR. CHAIRS I WOULD LIKE TO GO THROUGH EACH OF THESE BULLET POINTS HERE AND HAVE CAPTAIN TENNISON, SHE HAS DONE RESEARCH AND SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. SHE IS BACK WITH YOU WORKING WITH THE STAFF WITH BOTH YOUR STAFF.

WE ARE TRYING TO ADJUST EACH OF THESE THINGS.

I ASKED HER TO COME UP WITH THREE BULLET COMMENTS TO DISCUSS WITH YOU AND RAISE QUESTIONS, CONCERNS AND COMMENTS WE CAN GET FROM YOU. WE ARE TAKING A DIFFERENT APPROACH. I WILL TELL YOU BOTH MR. CHAIRS AND BOTH YOUR ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF I CANNOT ASK FOR A BETTER RELATIONSHIP.

IF WE ARE NOT COMMUNICATING IT WILL BE BROKEN IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY. I COMMIT TO YOU TODAY THAT SAINT JOHNS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE WILL COMMUNICATE WITH ALL OF YOUR STAFF. WE HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH ALL OF YOUR STAFF AND WE CANNOT DO THIS WITHOUT YOUR COOPERATION OF THE STAFF. I WANT TO COMMEND YOU FOR ALLOWING YOUR STAFF AND US TO WORK TOGETHER SO CLOSELY IN -- AND THE RELATIONSHIP WILL ONLY GET BETTER I COMMIT TO YOU THAT. WITHOUT FURTHER ADIEU I WILL HAVE CAPTAIN TENNISON COME UP AND GO THROUGH ALL OF THESE BULLET COMMENTS AND HOPEFULLY OPEN UP QUESTIONS WITH YOU.

I WILL STEP ASIDE FOR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS I CAN ANSWER. I WANT TO INTRODUCE CAPTAIN

PEGGY TENNISON. >> GOOD MORNING.

APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU GUYS ABOUT SOME SCHOOL SAFETY ISSUES. I AM NOT REALLY GOING TO BRING ANYTHING FORWARD ANYONE IS UNFAMILIAR WITH, THINGS WE ARE DOING AND THINGS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS DOING AND WE WORK SO WELL TOGETHER. YOU MENTIONED SCHOOL SHOOTING EARLIER. I AM GOING TO MENTION THE MARJORIE STONE MAN DOUGLAS EVENT.

THAT IS WHAT REALLY CHANGED THE WAY, THE SAFETY THAT DEPUTIES AND GUARDIANS ARE IN SCHOOLS AND IT PUT THINGS IN PLACE THAT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW BY MANDATE.

BASED ON THAT, WE HAVE REALLY CHANGED THE WAY WE HAM -- WE HANDLE SAFETY AND SECURITY IN THE SCHOOLS.

FIRST IT APPEARS ON CAMPUS, SAFETY.

THINGS WE DO ON CAMPUS. THERE IS A DEPUTY ON EVERY SCHOOL CAMPUS IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY.

IF IT IS NOT A DEPUTY SHERIFF IT IS A GUARDIAN.

OUR KIDS ARE SAFE. WE HAVE KIDS -- WE GIVE THE GUARDIANS TRAINING. THAT IS WHEN SCHOOL IS IN SESSION. SUMMERS WE WERE ALSO IN THE SCHOOLS. THERE IS DAILY SAFETY CHECKS DONE AT THE SCHOOL. WE TALKED ABOUT EGRESS AND INGRESS. THERE IS A DEPUTY IN THE OFFICES UP THERE. THERE IS ONE WAY IN AND ONE WAY OUT. DOORS ARE CHECKED AND SAFETY CHECKED AND THE SCHOOL IS TRAINED AND THE STAFF IS TRAINED. WE DO SCHOOL SAFETY PLANS AND THERE ARE MAPS ON OUR COMPUTERS SO WE KNOW WHERE THE CLASSROOMS ARE AND THE HALLWAYS.

WE WORK IN COLLABORATION WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS MARKED INSIDE OR OUTSIDE.

IF WE ARE COMING FROM THE OUTSIDE WE KNOW WHERE TO GO.

THE TRAINING WE RECEIVE IS ACTIVE SHOOTER AS WELL AS THE

[00:20:04]

WE ARE VERY RESPONSIVE TO COMPLAINTS IN THE COMMUNITIES FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND FROM PEOPLE DRIVING ON THE ROADWAYS, ET CETERA. THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WORKS WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO TRY TO FIND OUT WHO WILL HANDLE THAT WITH THE TRAFFIC DIVISION AND D.O.T.AND PUBLIC WORKS AND EVERYBODY INVOLVED IN A COMPLAINT.

WE DON'T JUST SAY, YEAH, SORRY THAT'S THE WAY IT IS.

WE TRY TO HELP THE COMMUNITY ANYWAY WE CAN TO MAKE IT SAFE FOR KIDS TO GET THERE WITH A CAR OR WALKING OR BIKING.

WE WORK CRASHES. IF WE HAD A MAJOR EVENT WHERE A ROAD IS CLOSED AND WE LET THE TRANSPORTATION KNOW THAT THE BUSES CANNOT GET THROUGH HERE AND THERE WILL BE A DELAY. YOU MIGHT WANT TO TRY ANOTHER ROUTE TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT KIDS ARE GOING TO BE LATE.

WE ARE ALWAYS RESPONSE -- RESPONSIVE AND COOPERATIVE.

WE WORK REAL CLOSE. I CAN'T SEE ANY REAL ISSUES WITH THAT OTHER THAN NEW SCHOOLS THAT ARE COMING AND WE WILL HAVE MORE ISSUES. THE NEXT BULLET IS HEALTH AND SAFETY. THAT WASN'T ON MY ORIGINAL BULLET, BUT THEY ARE ATTACKING COVID LIKE I HAVE NEVER SEEN.

THE KIDS ARE WEARING MASKS AND THE CEP -- THE DEPUTIES ARE WEARING MASKS AND THE TEACHERS ARE WEARING MASKS AND THERE ARE PLASTIC DIVIDERS ON THE DEATH -- ON THE DESKS.

WHEN A CHILD IS ILL, I CAN'T TALK ABOUT THE PROTOCOL, BUT WHEN SOMEBODY IS SICK THERE ARE A GREAT BIG GOB OF THEM.

WE ARE HANDLING THAT THE BEST WE CAN.

I HOPE COVID EASES OFF AND WE CAN GO BACK TO NORMAL BUSINESS. I KNOW IT IS HARD ON THE KIDS NOT TO PLAY LIKE NORMAL. THE NEXT BULLET, SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS, THIS IS US.

THIS IS WHAT WE DO AND PROUD OF WHAT WE DO.

WE HAVE 43 YOUTH RESOURCE DEPUTIES ASSIGNED TO THE SCHOOLS. FOUR ARE SUPERVISORS AND 39 ARE DEPUTY RESPONSES. WE HAVE ONE HIGH SCHOOL AND A K-8 SCHOOL OPENING UP SO WE ARE ADDING DEPUTIES TO THOSE SCHOOLS AS WELL. WE HAVE 32 CONTRACTED SCHOOLS IN THE ST. JOHNS SCHOOL DISTRICT.

WE HAVE 11 GUARDIANS AND WE DO TRAIN THEM.

THEY RECEIVE TRAINING NCIT WHICH IS A CRISIS INTERVENTION. THEY WILL BE GOING TO A 24-HOUR INTERVENTION FOR YOUTH OVER THE SUMMER.

WE DID NOT GET THAT IN BECAUSE OF EVERYTHING.

WE MOVE AHEAD OF THAT THIS SUMMER.

WE WILL HAVE INCREASED DEPUTIES COMING INTO THE SCHOOL. WE DO ACTIVE SHOOTER TRAINING AND OTHER SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER TRAINING AS FAR AS FIRST-AID, ET CETERA. WHEN THE DEPUTIES ARE NOT IN SCHOOL THAT'S THE QUESTION. WHAT DO WE DO WITH THEM? WE HAVE THE POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE.

WE ARE BRINGING BACK ACE. IT IS GOING TO BE CALLED SOMETHING ELSE. WE WORK WITH THE JUDGES AND SUCH. AND WE ALSO HAVE THE EXPLORER PROGRAM. SO OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE TWO DEPUTIES IN EACH HIGH SCHOOL. RIGHT NOW IT IS -- WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE HIGH SCHOOL AND THEY WERE OVER FLOWING. TWO DEPUTIES IS A GOOD THING OR A DEPUTY AND A GUARDIAN. THE SHERIFF'S GOAL IS TO HAVE TWO IN EVERY HIGH SCHOOL. YOU ARE DEALING WITH PRETTY MUCH ADULTS IN HIGH SCHOOLS ANYMORE.

THAT WOULD BE A GOOD THING. OUR DEPUTIES TEACH PROGRAMS.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THAT? >> IT IS CRITICAL TO THE SAFETY OF THE SCHOOL AND I'M WONDERING -- IT IS A LOT ABOUT

RELATIONSHIPS. >> ABSOLUTELY.

AND FOR THE -- THERE ARE SOME TROUBLED KIDS WHO MAKE FRIENDS WITH THE RESOURCE OFFICER AND IT IS A MENTOR TO THEM.

WE ALL HEARD THE STORIES AND THEY ARE WONDERFUL.

I AM JUST WONDERING TO WHAT EXTENT YOUR AGENCY ENCOURAGES THE SCHOOL OFFICER TO ENGAGE WITH AS MANY CHILDREN AS POSSIBLE AND IF THERE IS ANY TRAINING ON HOW THAT

ENGAGEMENT TAKES PLACE. >> ABSOLUTELY AND GLAD TO ANSWER THAT. ALL OF THE DEPUTIES IN THE YOUTH SERVICES FROM PAL TO THE EXPLORER PROGRAM WHICH IS A MENTORING PROGRAM, ALL OF THEM ARE ENGAGED IN THEIR SCHOOLS WITH A STUDENT. I SPEAK FOR ONE OF THE DEPUTIES WHO IS MENTORING A SMALL CHILD IN HER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THAT IS HAVING SOME DIFFICULT TIMES AT HOME.

SHE PURCHASED CLOTHING FOR THE CHILD.

[00:25:02]

I CAN ONLY SPEAK TO THEM RIGHT NOW.

FUENTES, ROGERS, HE GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND AND TAKES HIS KIDS TO WALMART AND TAKES THEM SHOPPING BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE SHOES. THEY DON'T HAVE A JACKET AND THAT'S ON THEIR DIME. THAT'S NOT ON THE COUNTY'S DIME. THESE KIDS ARE NOT ONLY MENTORING AND TEACHING THESE YOUNG CHILDREN HOW TO LIVE THEIR LIFE WITH GOOD MORALS AND RIGHTS, BUT THEY ARE GIVING THEM HOPE THAT THERE IS BETTER THINGS OUT THERE.

AS FAR AS TRAINING I THINK IT IS IN US.

I DON'T THINK YOU NEED TRAINING FOR THAT.

WE RECOGNIZE THERE IS A NEED AND WE PROVIDE IT AS BEST WE CAN. SHERIFF, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING

TO ADD? >> ONE THING I CHALLENGED MY STAFF WITH, AS MOST OF YOU KNOW I AM A COACH IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND FOR THE YOUTH FORECLOSING IN ON 30 YEARS. I TAKE IT PERSONAL.

I WAS AT A GAME AT ROGERS YESTERDAY AFTERNOON.

I THINK OUR YOUTH IS SO IMPORTANT AND THAT THEY CONTINUE TO SEE US IN THIS UNIFORM.

I CHALLENGED MY STAFF WITH THIS, LEAD BY THE FRONT AND LEAD BY EXAMPLE. IF THE SHERIFF WILL CONTINUE TO COACH WHICH I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT, BUT I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS WE HAVE UNDER 45,000 STUDENTS IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY. IF WE GET A CHANCE TO TOUCH THEM NOW AND BE A POSITIVE ROLE MODEL NOW, IT WILL BE A BETTER COMMUNITY FOR THIS ENTIRE -- FOR OUR ENTIRE POPULATION. THAT BEING SAID, THE CAPTAIN TALKED ABOUT SOME INNOVATIVE THINGS I CHALLENGED THEM WITH. THE OLD DARE PROGRAM GAVE US THE OPTION AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY MEET WITH THESE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN AND -- IN UNIFORM.

WE DON'T WANT THEM TO BE SCARED OF US.

WE DON'T WANT THEM IF THEY ARE PULLED OVER ON A TRAFFIC STOP OR TRAFFIC STAFF THEY KNOW HOW TO ACT AROUND US.

I CHALLENGED MY STAFF WITH THIS.

I HATE TO USE THE WORD JUVENILE BECAUSE IT -- YOU THINK OF A CONVICT ORVILLE CRIMINAL -- OR CRIMINAL.

BUT IT IS NOT. IT IS SOMEBODY UNDER 18.

I DO NOT WANT THEM TO HAVE A CRIMINAL HISTORY.

WE WILL BRING IT BACK TO ST. JOHNS COUNTY AND WE WILL HAVE A PROGRAM HERE WHERE MAYBE THE FIRST PHASE OF THAT OUR LOCAL JUDGE IS -- THE ADMINISTRATIVE JUDGE HAS BOUGHT IN THAT AND THE COUNTY COMMISSION WILL BUY INTO THE PROCESS.

IF WE CAN KEEP THESE KIDS OUT OF TROUBLE AND MAYBE GIVE THEM A FIRST CHANCE OR A SECOND CHANCE.

RIGHT NOW THE UNITED STATES MILITARY IS NOT HIRING AND PROCESSING ANY JUVENILES WITH ANY HISTORIES AT ALL.

THAT'S WRONG. I WAS ONE OF THOSE JUVENILES AND I AM HERE AS YOUR SHERIFF.

IT IS NOT ONLY GIVING THEM A CHANCE, BUT LIFE SKILLS.

HOW TO FILL OUT A JOB APPLICATION AND OPEN A BANK ACCOUNT AND HOW TO SIT AT A TABLE WHEN THERE IS MORE THAN A KNIFE AND A FORK, HOW TO GREET SOMEBODY WITH A HANDSHAKE. AS WE CONTINUE TO PUT MORE DEPUTY SHERIFFS IN THE SCHOOLS IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO BACK TO THE OLD DAYS OF TEACHING AND MENTORING AND FORMING THAT BOND AND RELATIONSHIP.

IF YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN AT THE GAME LAST NIGHT WITH ME YOU WOULD HAVE SEEN SIX KIDS RUN UP TO ME, AFRICAN-AMERICAN KIDS AND COLEMAN KNOWS WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT, THE HARRIS FAMILY CAME UP TO GIVE ROB HARWICK A HUG.

NOT THE SHERIFF, BUT THE COACH AND THE MENTOR IN THE COMMUNITY. I AM COMMITTED TO DO THAT FOR YOU. IT TAKES BUY IN.

WITH LEADERSHIP COMES CHANGE. SHE IS SLOWLY GOING THROUGH AND MEETING WITH EACH PRINCIPAL AT EVERY ONE OF THEIR SCHOOLS DOING A SLOT ANALYSIS.

IS OUR SHERIFF DEPUTY DOING WHAT YOU EXPECT OF THEM IN THAT SCHOOL? SHE MADE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES.

THE CHANGES NOW WILL NOT COME FROM THE TOP.

IT IS THE WORKING BEE THAT'S ARE DOWN THERE AND SEEING IT EVERY DAY AND LISTENING TO WHAT THE PRINCIPALS ARE SAYING AND WHAT THE ADMINISTRATORS ARE SAYING IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. WE COMMIT TO YOU TODAY AND CAPTAIN TENNISON DOES OF PUTTING THE RIGHT SHERIFF IN THE RIGHT SCHOOL THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE WITH OUR CHILDREN.

>> THE NEXT BULLET WE HAVE IS THE SCHOOL CROSSING GUARDS.

CURRENTLY WE HAVE 63 SCHOOL CROSSING GUARDS COVERING 93 POSTS IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY. THAT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THE STREETS AT ONE TIME WHEN THE SCHOOLS ARE GOING IN.

THAT'S 20 SCHOOLS THAT ARE COVERED.

I THINK ONE OF THOSE SCHOOLS HAS 17 SCHOOL CROSSING GUARDS ALONE. AND SO JUST SOME NUMBERS.

WE HAVE 36 PUBLIC SERVICE ASSISTANTS THAT ASSIST WITH THE TRAFFIC CONTROL IN THE SCHOOLS.

AND THEY COVER 20 DIFFERENT POSTS AT THE SCHOOLS AS WELL.

AND THAT IS PRETTY MUCH WHAT THEY DO ALL DAY.

WE WILL NEED TO INCREASE SUPERVISION AT SOME POINT.

WE HAVE ONE NULL -- ONE FULL TIME CROSSING SUPERVISOR OVER THE 36PSA'S THAT ARE ALL OVER THE COUNTY AT ONE TIME.

THAT MAKES IT A LITTLE DIFFICULT.

ALL OF THE SCHOOL CROSSING GUARDS ARE CERTIFIED BY THE

[00:30:01]

THEY FOLLOW THE TRAINING GUIDELINES AND THEY ARE RESETTER FIGHT ANNUALLY -- RECED ANNUALLY WITH US.

ANY QUESTIONS ? NEXT SIN FRO STRUCTURE -- INFRASTRUCTURE AND THAT IS THE NEW SCHOOLS WE ARE BUILDING AND THE ROADS GOING INTO THEM FOR INGRESS AND EGRESS.

THE NEW SCHOOLS -- WE WORK CLOSELY AND I CAN ONLY TALK ABOUT SINCE I HAVE TAKEN OFFICE, BUT WE WORK CLOSELY WITH NOT JUST THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, BUT WE WORK WITH PUBLIC WORKS AND ANYBODY THAT WILL BE INVOLVED WHEN THAT SCHOOL BREAKS GROUND. HOW WILL THEY GET HERE AND HOW WILL THEY GET OUT OF HERE AND HOW WILL THEY PARK AND HOW WILL WE LINE THEM UP WHEN THE PARENTS WANT TO DROP THEM OFF AND THEY ARE SCARED TO DO ANYTHING BUT BE BY MOM AND DAD. WE WORK WITH THE SCHOOL SAFETY SPECIALISTS AND THE TRAFFIC OPERATION TEAM AND PUBLIC WORKS. WE WILL HAVE SIX NEW SCHOOLS IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. WE WILL BE ON THE FRONT END INSTEAD OF THE BACK END. NOT TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT AFTER WE ARE A WEEK INTO SCHOOL THINKING WE SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT THIS. WE WILL BE THERE FROM THE START AND PLAN IT AS A JOINT EFFORT.

I THINK IT WILL MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE AS I HOPE WITH SOME OF THE TRAFFIC CONTROL ISSUES.

JUST A LITTLE TIDBIT WHILE I WAS DOING A LITTLE RESEARCH, THE SCHOOLS ARE THE SECOND LARGEST INFRASTRUCTURE SENG -- SECTOR IN THE NATION TOPPED ONLY BY HIGHWAYS, BUT THEY ARE ALSO FUNDED BY FEDERAL MONEY. OTHER SAFETY CONCERNS AND THIS IS THE UMBRELLA. ONE IS THE HIGH SCHOOLS.

THOSE ARE BIG KIDS. I AM NOT A BIG PERSON AND I AM AN ADULT. SOME OF THESE PEOPLE IN HIGH SCHOOL HAVE FULL BEARDS. I MEAN, THEY ARE FULL MEN.

ONE IS GOOD, BUT TWO WON'T HURT.

I THINK THAT IS A GOOD IDEA. THAT'S ONE OF THE SCHOOL SAFETY CONCERNS AND A GOAL THAT WE HAVE.

GEOGRAPHICAL COVERAGE. OUR NORTH-WEST PART OF THE COUNTY AND I GUESS THE NORTHEAST IS BLOOMING.

IT IS GROWING LIKE CRAZY AND IT IS ALL OVER THE NEWS AS ONE OF THE GREATEST PLACES TO BE. THE SCHOOLS ARE BEING BUILT.

THAT'S 2.5 KIDS PER HOUSEHOLD AND THAT IS MORE SCHOOLS GETTING BUILT. THAT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE.

ONE OF OUR SERGEANTS CURRENTLY HAS 14 PEOPLE IN ONE AREA.

THAT'S A LOT OF MILEAGE TO COVER.

WE WILL HAVE TO INCREASE OUR SUPERVISION AT SOME POINT.

OTHER THAN THAT OUR SAFETY CONCERNS, I THINK WE ARE RIGHT ON TRACK. ANYTHING THAT COMES UP, LIKE I SAID, WE ARE ARM IN ARM AND SIDE BY SIDE A UNITED FRONT TO FACE IT TOGETHER WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE COUNTY COMMISSION.

I THINK IT IS GREAT AND I AM EXCITED.

ANY QUESTIONS? >> I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A

COMMENT IF I COULD. >> YES, SIR.

>> I HAVE BEEN THE PRINCIPAL IN THIS COUNTY FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. THE YOUTH RESOURCE OFFICER PROGRAM WAS INSTITUTED WHEN I WAS PRINCIPAL THE -- AT NIECE HIGH SCHOOL. AT THAT TIME THERE WAS A LOT OF RESISTANCE AMONG PARENTS, AND TEACHERS TO HAVE AN ARMED OFFICER ON CAMPUS. OVER THE YEARS PEOPLE HAVE COME TO REALIZE HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO HAVE THAT YOUTH RESOURCE OFFICER. NOT ONLY JUST AS A FIGURE FROM THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, BUT AN INDIVIDUAL WHO WILL WORK CLOSELY WITH THE STUDENTS ON A VERY REGULAR BASIS.

TONY WAS OUT THERE ON THE SCHOOL GROUNDS DURING LUNCH PERIODS TALKING WITH STUDENTS AND INTERACTING WITH THEM AND AT ATHLETIC EVENTS. TONY WAS VERY MUCH INVOLVED IN PAL ALSO. THEY ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. THEY ARE INDISPENSABLE.

I WANT TO THANK THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT FOR CONTINUING WITH HIS EMPHASIS ON THAT PARTICULAR PROGRAM.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO.

APPRECIATE IT. >> THANK YOU, SIR.

>> HELLO. I AM ALSO VERY APPRECIATIVE OF OUR SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND OF OUR OTHER POLICE MUNICIPALITIES. CAN'T SAY ENOUGH NICE THINGS ABOUT ALL OF YOU. IT IS TRULY LIKE EDUCATION.

IT IS A POSITION OF DEDICATION AND SERVICE.

THANK YOU. AND I LOVE THE INITIATIVES THAT YOU ARE SHARING WITH US THAT YOU ARE WORKING ON REVAMPING AND REENERGIZING. IT WILL SO MUCH BENEFIT OUR STUDENTS AND OUR SCHOOLS AS A WHOLE.

I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT RECRUITING.

I KNOW THAT I HAVE TRIED TO SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT THE NEED FOR CROSSING GUARDS AND I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE AS MANY PEOPLE GOING INTO POLICE WORK.

I WANTED TO FIND OUT IF YOU ARE STILL HAVING TROUBLE WITH THAT AND WHERE YOU STAND AT THAT AND IF THERE IS ANYTHING AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT WE CAN DO TO HELP YOU IN THOSE EFFORTS.

>> CERTAINLY. AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I WILL ADDRESS THE RECRUITING RETENTION ISSUES.

I AM ON MY THIRD WEEK AS YOUR NEW SHERIFF IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY. ONE THING HERE, I AM NOT GOING

[00:35:01]

WE ARE NOT THERE YET IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY.

I DON'T KNOW WHO DOESN'T WANT TO COME, LIVE, WORK AND PLAY AND RAISE KIDS IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY AND WITH THAT SAID WE ARE GETTING EXPERIENCE IN THE NORTH WHERE POLICE CAN RETIRE AND THEN COME DOWN HERE AND START THEIR CAREERS OVER AND AFFORD TO LIVE IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY.

AS WE SPEAK TODAY WE ARE STARTING A NEW CLASS WVMENT AN -- WITH AN AGENCY OUR SIZE WE WILL GO THROUGH ATTRITION.

THERE ARE RETIREMENTS AND DROPS IN -- AND AS THAT BEING SAID AS WE SPEAK TODAY, BOARD MEMBER, WE DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE, BUT WE ARE ALWAYS TRYING.

SCHOOL CROSSING GUARDS ARE INTERESTING BEASTS.

FLORIDA STATE STATUTE OUT SAYS IT IS NOT THE RESPONSIBLE -- RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, BUT OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. WE WANT IT TO BE OUR RESPONSIBILITY. THEY HAVE OTHER THINGS TO DO AND SAFETY IS OUR PROBLEM. WITH THAT BEING SAID WE ARE ALWAYS RECRUITING CROSSING GUARDS.

IT IS AN INTERESTING JOB. IT IS A PART-TIME JOB WHERE YOU COME IN THE MORNING AND THEN YOU GO HOME FOR LUNCH BASICALLY FOR FOUR OR FIVE HOURS AND COME BACK IN THE AFTERNOON. WE ARE THINKING OF INNOVATIVE WAYS TO RECRUIT IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY.

YOU WILL SEE THINGS IN THE NEAR FUTURE AS WE DO VIDEO PRODUCTION OF OUR COMMUNICATION CENTER AND WE ARE TRYING TO RECRUIT. IT IS AN ON GOING PROCESS.

BUT LET'S NOT REINVENT THE WHEEL.

WITH MY U.S. MILITARY EXPERIENCE OF 25 YEARS WE WILL BRING IN THE RETENTION PROCESS THAT THE UNITED STATES ARMY USES. OUR HEADQUARTERS FOR FLORIDA NATIONAL GUARD IS HERE AND OUR HEADQUARTERS FOR RETENTION WITH THE FLORIDA NATIONAL GUARD IS HERE AND INCLUDING COLONEL HENINA -- HENNIMAN IN THE BACK WE WILL GO THROUGH RECRUITING AND WITH A PARTNERSHIP WITH YOUR ADMINISTRATION, BOTH OF YOUR ADMINISTRATION THAT'S WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY DASH -- DASH NOT A FULL STAFF, THAT'S A PERFECT WORLD, BUT CLOSE TO IT.

LET'S DO A TRUE STAFFING ANALYSIS AS OPPOSED TO TWO MORE IN THE NORTHWEST AND TWO IN THE SOUTHEAST BECAUSE OF ISSUES WITH CRIME OR ISSUES WITH TRAFFIC.

IT IS A TRUE STAFF ANALYSIS AND I WILL SHARE SOME THINGS WITH YOU IF YOU WANT TO KNOW AT THE CLOSE.

BUT WE ARE BEING INNOVATIVE IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY.

OUR RESIDENTS DON'T WANT TO PUT UP WITH CRIME.

WE CAN BE PROGRESSIVE AND AGGRESSIVE.

I WILL TELL YOU THIS AND THERE IS ONE THING I MISSED AND THERE ARE QUITE A FEW COMMUNITY PARTNERS BEHIND ME.

OUR KEY TO SUCCESS IN THE SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND POLICING YOUR SCHOOLS IS MAKE SURE WE ARE LISTENING TO THE PARENTS AND MAKE SURE WHEN THE PARENTS REQUEST SOMETHING THAT IS SO EASY FOR US TO DO OUR OWN ANALYSIS, OUR JOB IS TO PROVIDE SAFETY AND SECURIY AND KEEP CRIME LOW IN ST.

JOHNS COUNTY. AND WE LISTEN TO OUR PARENTS.

I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE PARENTS HERE TODAY, THERE IS NO E-MAIL I DON'T ANSWER. THERE IS NO PHONE CALL I DON'T ANSWER OR TEXT MESSAGE I WILL NOT ANSWER.

SOMETIMES I WANT TO GIVE IT TO MY EXPERT AND SAY CAPTAIN TENNISON IS ON THIS WITH MY TRAFFIC DIVISION.

JUST GIVE US TIME TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES AS I CONTINUE TO ADJUST IN THAT AGENCY AND YOUR COMMUNITY ADVISER AND MY

PHILOSOPHY. >> COMMISSIONER WALTERS?

>> JUST WHILE WE HAVE THE SCHOOL BOARD HERE AND THE SHERIFF, IS THERE A POSSIBILITY -- I MEAN I'M REALLY IN FAVOR OF ALL OF THE ACADEMY THAT'S WE HAVE IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. IS THERE A POSSIBILITY OF MAYBE DOING A LAW ENFORCEMENT ACADEMY? YOU KNOW, WHERE WE HAVE ROTC, BUT SOME OF THE SCHOOLS DON'T

HAVE ONE. >> COMMISSIONER, SAINT ST.

AUGUSTINE HIGH SCHOOL HAS A HOMELAND AND LAW ACADEMY, BUT IT IS NOT TILORED WHERE YOU CAN BE A DEPUTY SHERIFF IN SAINT AUGUST GUESS STEEN BEACH OR CITY.

SOMETHING I AM APPROACHING AS A FORMER COMMISSIONER IN TALLAHASSEE I BELIEVE I HAVE POWER NOW TO GO FORWARD AND SAY LET'S TAKE OUR OWN ACADEMY HERE AND DO IT HERE IN ST.

JOHNS COUNTY WITH THE SURROUNDING COUNTIES AS OPPOSED TO MOST OF THE MEN AND WOMEN, TO BE HONEST, IT IS A MONEY MAKING MACHINE AT THE COLLEGE.

THE MAJORITY OF THOSE CANNOT BE A POLICE OFFICER BASED ON CJSCT STANDARDS OF THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS.

MEANING SOMETHING IN THE PAST AUTOMATICALLY DISQUALIFIES THEM WHEN THEY GRADUATE FROM THE ACADEMY.

IT IS A BROKEN RECORD WE NEED TO FIX AND I AM ON BOARD WITH THAT WITH MY STAFF SAYING HOW DO WE GET BETTER MEN AND WOMEN WHO WANT TO BE A POLICE OFFICER OR A DEPUTY SHERIFF IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY. ONE THING I WANT TO SAY, COMMISSIONER, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT BOTH BOARDS UNDERSTAND THAT TIM AND HUNTER OVER THERE, THERE WAS A TIME WE SAT AT THE TABLE SAYING YOU WANT MOVE -- YOU WANT MORE.

YOU ALWAYS WANT MORE. NOW WE ARE AT THE TABLE SAYING LET'S TAKE SOME RESPONSIBILITY RATHER THAN IT IS YOUR PROBLEM, YOU FIX IT. PARKLAND HAPPENS AND WHO TAKES RESPONSIBILITY? YOU DO.

WE WORK TOGETHER ON FISCAL AND NUMBERS.

THEY ARE TRUE NUMBERS BASED ON A STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS AND ANALYSIS. AGAIN I RECOMMIT TO YOU TODAY THAT WE WILL DO THIS THE RIGHT WAY.

IT IS OUR LEVEL AND TAKE CARE OF IT AND WE WILL MAKE SURE

[00:40:01]

COUNTY. >> I JUST HAVE ONE COMMENT.

IT IS VALUABLE THAT WE REDIRECT THE INNOVATION PROGRAMS WE HAD 25 YEARS AGO. I WILL VERY BRIEFLY SHARE HOW EFFECTIVE THAT WAS. WHEN THEY LOOKED AT THE ANALYSIS AND THE DEMOGRAPHICS AND THEY ARE INTERVENING AND STARTING A PAL PROGRAM AND IT HAD -- THE KIDS GOT THEIR EDUCATIONAL ASPECT OF IT AS WELL AS SPORTS AND IT INTEGRATED AND WITHIN FIVE YEARS THAT AREA CAME OFF OF THE NATIONAL LIST. IT IS IMPORTANT TO KEEP CONTINUING THAT RELATIONSHIP. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT SAFETY AND LET US KNOW FORGET THAT CONNECTING WITH THE MENTAL HEALTH. IT IS IMPORTANT WITH HOW KIDS ARE GOING THROUGH THESE CRISIS TIMES AS WELL AS OUR TEACHERS. I BELIEVE WE ARE IN THE PATH.

>> IF I MAY, MR. CHAIR. COMMISSIONER -- BOARD MEMBER I APPRECIATE YOU MENTIONING THAT.

YOU MENTIONED A KEY WORD IS MENTAL HEALTH.

I NEVER THOUGHT IN 28 YEARS IN THE PROFESSION WE WOULD BECOME SOCIAL WORKERS. GOOD THING OR BAD THING, I AM NOT SURE. I KNOW IN THE ST. JOHNS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE WE ARE TRYING TO START A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH UNIT FOR OUR MEN AND WOMEN AS WELL.

OVER THE PAST 10 DAYS OUR MEN AND WOMEN HAVE DEALT WITH THREE INFANT DEATHS. IF YOU DON'T THINK IT HITS THAT FAMILY IT HITS MORE THAN THE FAMILY, NEIGHBORS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIRE RESCUE AND ALL OF THE ABOVE.

WITH MENTAL HEALTH, YOU KNOW, I NEVER THOUGHT WE WOULD BE IN A SCHOOL SYSTEM DEALING WITH THAT AS WE SPEAK TODAY.

MY GOAL IS LET'S EDUCATE OUR MEN AND WOMEN THAT THE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES ARE NOT A RESTFUL ISSUE.

WE WILL NOT REST OUR WAY OUT. WE WILL STEP BACK AND ADDRESS THESE ISSUES AND GET THE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN THE HELP THEY NEED. IT STARTS WITH US BEING IN UNIFORM AND THEM NOT BEING AFRAID TO APPROACH THEM OR EVEN MAYBE GO FOR A RIDE IN OUR CAR TO A FACILITY THAT WILL TREAT THEM WITH THEIR PARENTS KNOWING WE ARE TRYING TO HELP. IT IS THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY, THE PARENTS AND THE SCHOOLS AND OF COURSE BOTH ADMINISTRATIONS. THAT'S SOMETHING I WANT TO TALK ABOUT BEFORE YOU ARE DONE ASKING QUESTIONS, SUPERVISION AND THE CAPTAIN TOUCHED ON THAT.

WHEN YOU HAVE A SUPERVISOR, A SUPERVISOR AS WE SPEAK AND CROSSING GUARDS CANNOT -- ONE SUPERVISOR CANNOT OVERSEE 38 PEOPLE. IT IS GOING TO BE A BROKEN SYSTEM. WITH THAT WE TALKED TO YOUR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION AND THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION AND WE TALKED ABOUT SUPERVISION IN THERE.

IF YOU HAVE SEVEN DEPUTY SHARE -- SHERIFFS OUT THERE YOU NEED A SERGEANT THAT OVERSEES THEM BECAUSE THINGS DO HAPPEN. I WILL ASK YOU THIS TOO.

GIVE US TIME TO -- THERE IS ADJUSTMENT THAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN. YOU CAN SEE MY STAFF TRYING TO GET TO A DIFFERENT LEADERSHIP STOP.

WITH THAT BEING SAID CAPTAIN TENISON I WANT TO UH PLOWED -- APPLAUD HER THAT SHE IS TAKING AN AGGRESSIVE APPROACH TO MAKE SURE YOUR SCHOOLS ARE SAFEST PLACES FOR OUR SCHOOLS TO GO

TO EVERY DAY. >> I QUINT -- I DIDN'T INTEND ON TALKING THIS MUCH AT LEAST ON THE FIRST SUBJECT BUT I FEEL PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS AND THE REST OF THE SCHOOL BOARD DOES TOO. IT IS IMPORTANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT WE HAVE -- WHAT WE ARE ASKING OF OUR TEACHERS AND I WOULD LIKE TO PUBLICLY DO THAT AND I HAVE DREAMT OF BEING A TEACHER. WE ARE NOW ASKING THE 25-YEAR-OLD AND THE 26-YEAR-OLD TO DO ACTIVE SHOOTER DRILLS WITH SIX-YEAR-OLDS. THE FEAR THAT THAT BRINGS AND THE EMOTION THAT THAT BRINGS FOR THE TEACHER AND FOR THE CHILD AND FOR THE PARENT. AND WITH COVID PERHAPS BRINGING IT HOME TO A LOVED ONE, IT IS JUST AMAZING WHAT WE HAVE ASKED OUR TEACHERS TO DO.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEM BECAUSE WITHOUT THEM AND THEIR PERSISTENCE TO TEACHING OUR KIDS THINK ABOUT WHERE WE WOULD BE. SO SHOUTOUT TO THE TEACHERS.

[00:45:09]

>> SHERIFF, I WANT TO ASK WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGE KEEPING OUR CHILDREN SAFE GOING

FORWARD IN THE COMING YEARS. >> MR. CHAIR, I THINK EVERYONE KNOWS ST. JOHNS COUNTY WILL NOT STOP GROWING.

YOU WILL SEE THE SING -- SINGLE FAMILY PERMITS PULLED AND SETTING RECORDS AT THE END OF LAST YEAR IN 2020 WITH COVID STILL GOING ON. I THINK YOU WILL SEE RECORD NUMBERS OF GROWTH AS WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD.

IT IS NOT GOING TO STOP. WE HAVEN'T SEEN IT STOP DURING THE PANDEMIC WHICH IS INTERESTING.

HOWEVER, I CAN SHOW YOU STATS WHERE SOME OF OUR BUSIEST TRAFFIC INTERSECTIONS HAVE DECREASED BECAUSE I BELIEVE THE PANDEMIC HAS CAUSED SOME OF THE WORKFORCE AS WE KNOW TO MOVE TO THE HOUSE AND OPERATE FROM THE HOUSE.

THAT BEING SAID, AGAIN, THE PARTNERSHIP IS SO KEY TO SUCCESS, SIR. I AM NOT SURE IF I CAN SAY IT ENOUGH, BUT IF THIS PARTNERSHIP IS NOT WORKING, THEN THE SYSTEM IS GOING TO BE BROKEN.

IF THE PARTNERSHIP IS HERE AMONG THE THREE OF US, OUR STAFF SEES THAT IT IS MOST IMPORTANT TO US.

AND THEN A PARTNERSHIP THAT WE SHARE WITH YOU TOO AS WELL.

IT IS SO IMPORTANT. AS WE GO FORWARD I THINK WE NEED 600 ADDITIONAL STAFF. THAT'S A SMALL CITY.

SMOS HAVE TWO OR THREE -- MOST HAVE TWO OR THREE POLICE OFFICERS POLICING. WE HAVE TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX. WE HAVE TO THINK SCHOOL SAFETY. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED.

PARKLAND HAPPENED. HORRIFIC EVENT.

WE DO A LOT OF THINGS BECAUSE OF THAT HORRIFIC EVENT AND NOW PARK LAND IS ON THE BACKSEAT. WE HAVEN'T FORGOT ABOUT IT, BUT IT IS NOT PRESSING ISSUES BECAUSE WE ADDRESSED A LOT OF THE ISSUES A IS WE SPEAK TODAY.

AS WE SPEAK TODAY. WE DON'T WANT ANOTHER INCIDENT TO HAPPEN IN THE UNITED STATES AND IN THE WORLD TO SEE THE BLOODSHED THAT WAS SHED IN THE PARKLAND INCIDENT.

WITH THAT BEING SAID WE KEEP THINKING AHEAD.

AND WE HAVE TO BE -- IF WE GO TO WHERE OUR TAXPAYERS ARE PAYING FOR SOME OF THE STAFF TO COVER THE SCHOOLS AND MAKE SURE OUR CHILDREN ARE PROTECTED THEN SO BE IT.

WE ARE DOING THE RIGHT THING IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY.

THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE AHEAD IS GROWTH.

WE BETTER PAY ATTENTION TO ST. JOHNS COUNTY.

IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE DEVELOPMENTS AND THE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY APPROVED, WE BETTER PAY ATTENTION.

THIS IS NOT THE ST. JOHNS COUNTY THE MAJORITY OF US GREW UP IN AND IT WILL NEVER BE THAT WAY AGAIN.

WE HAVE A MAJOR CORRIDOR COMING THROUGH ST. JOHNS COUNTY WITH 95. IT WILL NEVER STOP.

IT WAS AN EIGHT-YEAR PROJECT AND NOW IT IS A FOUR-YEAR PROJECT. THERE IS 210 AND IGP FEEDING IN WHICH IS 10,000-HOME SUBDIVISION.

THAT BEING SAID AS THE STAFF CONTINUES TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES OF GROWTH AND NEW SCHOOLS, WE HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION TOO IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY, COMMISSIONER.

THEY ARE CHALLENGES, BUT IT IS A REALITY OF LIFE.

IF OUR CRIME IS NOT INCREASING THEN THE CALIBER OF PEOPLE MOVING HERE ARE GREAT AND WE ARE BLESSED.

DON'T FORGET WHAT IS TO OUR SOUTH AND TO OUR NORTH IN OTHER COUNTIES. THE CHALLENGES WE ARE PREPARED FOR WE WILL CONTINUE TO ADDRESS AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO ADDRESS OTHER THINGS TOO IN THE SAINT JOHNS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. SCHOOLS ARE THE NUMBER ONE

PRIORITY IN OUR AGENCY. >> WE WOULD LIKE THE SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT TO WORK TOGETHER TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN.

WHEN WE WERE PUTTING TOGETHER THIS AGENDA WE WANTED SCHOOL SAFETY TO BE TOGETHER AND UNDERSTAND THE VISION.

AT THE END OF THE DAY THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT.

WE DON'T GET TO HIT A RESET BUTTON AS BEING PARENTS.

LET ME TURN IT BACK TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY FURTHER

DISCUSSIONS. >> I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR MENTIONING THE SOUTHERN END OF THE COUNTY.

I REPRESENT DISTRICT 3 WHICH IS OVER TOWARD HASTINGS.

THERE IS A LOT OF GROWTH TAKING PLACE IN THAT AREA, AND WE DO NEED TO PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO WHAT IS OCCURRING THERE. THERE ARE SCHOOL ADVISORY MEETINGS ON A REGULAR BASIS AND PARENTS ARE ALWAYS ASKING ME ARE WE FORGETTING ABOUT THE SOUTHERN END.

IT IS GOOD TO HEAR YOU SAY WHAT YOU DID ABOUT SOUTH ST.

JOHN'S COUNTY. THE NORTH IS GROWING RAPIDLY, BUT WE NEED TO PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO WHAT IS HAPPENING

[00:50:01]

>> WE CAN FOLLOW THIS COMMISSION OR THIS COUNTY FOR GROWTH. THE STATE OF FLORIDA IS GROWING. IF YOU WATCH THESE STATES IN THE NORTH THEY CAN SEE IT AS A POPULATION DECREASE IN NEW YORK AND POPULATION DECREASE IN MASSACHUSETTS AND PENNSYLVANIA. THE WINTERS ARE HARSH.

THE ECONOMY IS NOT AS GOOD AS IT IS DOWN HERE.

WHAT BETTER PLACE TO LIVE THAN IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA.

WE CAN'T FOLLOW ANYBODY BESIDES THE STATE OF FLORIDA FOR BEING THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE.

THE ENTIRE STATE IS GROWING AND NOT JUST HERE IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, COMMISSION -- THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER WALTERS ? >> OBVIOUSLY IN DISTRICT 1 IT IS WELL KNOWN HOW RAPIDLY WE HAVE GROWN AND THE CHALLENGES THAT COME WITH THAT ARE TRAFFIC.

ONE RECENT INSTANCE WAS THE DERBY CROSSING COMMUNITY WHERE THE CREEK SIDE HIGH SCHOOL PARENT PICK UP TRAFFIC SPILLS INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD. CAPTAIN TENISON WAS THERE IN HOURS. I TEXTED SHERIFF HARD WICK AND HE SAID HE IS ON IT. AND WHEN HE SAYS HE IS ON IT, HE IS ON IT. IT WAS SOLVED AT LEAST TEMPORARILY. DO WE HAVE A LIST OF HOTSPOTS, SORT OF ISSUES WITH TRAFFIC AS A RESULT OF PICK UP AND DROP OFFS? SIDEWALKS LIKE 22 AND 9 AND I KNOW FOLKS ARE UNHAPPY, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT IS A SIDEWALK I WANT MY GIRLS TRAVERSING TO AND FROM SCHOOL EVERY DAY.

DO WE HAVE A LIST AS A SCHOOL BOARD AND AS A SHERIFF'S OFFICE AS A HOTSPOT? AND IF NOT WOULD IT BE WORTH DEVELOPING A LIST SO WE CAN ADD THAT TO OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT AS A COMMISSION OR A SCHOOL BOARD?

>> THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION. MR. CONRAD, LET ME TURN THAT TO YOU. IS THERE A MASTER LIST THAT WE COULD COLLABORATE ON? IS THERE ONE EXISTING?

>> IF I CAN JUST ADDRESS. MOST FREQUENTLY WHAT OCCURS AND PROBABLY OCCURRED IN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS THAT WHEN WE RECEIVE INQUIRIES AND QUESTIONS WHETHER THAT IS IN THE WAY OF QUESTIONS AND COMPLAINTS AND CONCERNS, THEN THAT VOLUME IS SOMETHING THAT BRINGS TO THE LIGHT, BRINGS TO THE SURFACE A GEOGRAPHIC AREA WHETHER IT IS 2209 DEER BIN CROSSING -- DERBIN CROSSING AT CREEK SIDE HIGHWAY OR AREAS WHERE THERE IS CONGESTION AND ISSUES. WE GO THROUGH A PRETTY EXTENSIVE PROCESS FOR DETERMINING RESOURCES AND HOW THOSE ARE DISTRIBUTED. AND THEN IT IS ONE OF THE FEATURES AND I KNOW THAT SHERIFF HARD -- HARDWICK WAS ADDRESSING IT THAT WE ARE SUCH A DYNAMIC COUNTY AND WHAT IS TODAY IS NOT WHAT IS TOMORROW.

I THINK EVEN AS WE DO THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE A CONSTANT REVIEW AND REFLECTION ON WHAT IS THE CHALLENGE THIS MONTH THAT WASN'T IN AUGUST. WE WILL OFTEN AS WE DO THIS AND WE HAVE MULTI AGENCIES THAT WORK TOGETHER BEFORE WE BEGIN A NEW SCHOOL YEAR, WE WILL COMMUNICATE TOWARD THE END OF THE PREVIOUS SCHOOL YEAR CHANGE THAT'S ARE GOING TO OCCUR BECAUSE OF WHETHER THAT IS TRANSPORTATION CHANGES OR TRAFFIC CHANGES OR THINGS OF THAT NATURE SO THE COMMUNITY IS AWARE OF THAT. UNFORTUNATELY SOMETIMES YOU DON'T KNOW THE FULL IMPACT UNTIL YOU SEE IT PLAY OUT.

THAT'S KIND OF HOW WE BUILD SCHOOLS SOMETIMES.

YOU BUILD A SCHOOL AND ALL OF THE PATTERNS ARE WHAT YOU BELIEVE TO BE THE BEST. THE TRUTH IS YOU GET A YEAR OR TWO YEARS DOWN THE ROAD AND YOU MAKE THE ADJUSTMENTS YOU NEED TO MAKE TO MAKE IT MORE EFFECTIVE.

WE ARE CONSTANTLY IN THE STATE OF REVIEW FROM OUR OPERATIONS SIDE AND FROM OUR SAFETY SIDE.

IT IS SOMETHING WE DO THOROUGHLY.

IT IS EVEN A PART OF OUR SAFETY INSPECTIONS.

WHEN WE INSPECT SCHOOLS WE INSPECT THEM FROM BEFORE THE BELL RINGS UNTIL AFTER THE BELL RINGS.

WE ARE LOOKING AT ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT CAN BE A PART OF IT. SO WHEN WE SAY A SINGULAR LIST OF HOTSPOTS I WILL TELL YOU IT IS MORE SPECIFIC THAN THAT, AND THERE ARE THINGS IN THE AREA OF OPERATIONS AND THERE ARE THINGS IN THE AREA OF SCHOOL SAFETY THAT ARE PROJECTS OR ELEMENTS OF IMPROVEMENT THAT WE WANT TO FOCUS ON AND BUILD ON. AND THE AGENCY OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT IS INVOLVED MAY VARY DEPENDING ON WHAT THAT CHALLENGE HAPPENS TO BE.

I DON'T KNOW IF I ANSWERED THAT THE WAY YOU ARE LOOKING FOR, BUT IT IS PROBABLY A MORE COMPLEX KIND OF ISSUE THAN A

SINGULAR ONE. >> IF I MAY, MR. CHAIR, TO BRIEFLY SPEAK ON THAT. WE IN THE ST. JOHNS SHERIFF'S OFFICE TO TAKE A DIFFERENT STEP -- WE DEAL WITH DIFFERENT SAFETY ISSUES IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY THAT DOES PRESIDENT ALWAYS INVOLVE SCHOOLTIMES AND RELEASE TIMES.

IT IS BASED ON TRAFFIC CRASH DATA UNFORTUNATELY OR SPEED DATA AND TRAFFIC CONGESTION DATA.

THAT BEING SAID OUR TEAM IS WORKING CONSTANTLY TOGETHER.

I KNOW CAPTAIN TENNISON WORKS WITH THE SCHOOL ALONG WITH THE TRAFFIC ENGINEERING DIVISION FROM THE SAINT JOHNS COUNTY

[00:55:03]

HERE IS THE PLANNING STAGE FOR THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL UP IN IGP. IT WAS A GREAT PLAN, BUT NOW OF COURSE THAT ROAD IS BEING LOOKED AT TO BE SIX-LANE.

THAT WAS PROBABLY NEVER IN THE ORIGINAL PLAN BACK IN THE DAY. THE EGRESS AND INGRESS AT OUR PARENT PICK UP LINE IT WAS PROBABLY GREAT PLANNING AT ONE TIME, BUT WE CAN'T CATCH UP WITH THE NEXT STEPS IN ST.

JOHNS COUNTY BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE GROWTH WILL BE.

WE CAN PROJECT. IT BUT THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW IS THERE IS A HIGH SCHOOL AND 20 PORT ANNALS -- PORTABLES BECAUSE OF THE GROWTH. THE PARTNERSHIP OF THE CITY BEHIND ME IS JUST AS IMPORTANT.

>> SHERIFF, I APPRECIATE THAT.

THAT LEADS TO OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM.

I THINK WE CAN PROBABLY SPEND ALL DAY ON THIS AND MULTIPLE DAYS. BUT IN THE INTEREST OF TIME I

WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE -- >> AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP AND I WANT TO THANK YOU WITH THE PARTNERSHIP WITH YOUR ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU.

THANK YOU. >> JEREMIAH, I WOULD WILL JUST SAY TO THE BOARD MEMBERS WE HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR COUNTERPARTS. THINGS POP YOU -- POP UP IN MY COMMUNITY I WILL SHARE WITH YOU THAT ARE SAFETY RELATED.

I THINK THAT IS A PART OF HOW WE STARTED THIS MEETING WAS RELATIONSHIPS. I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT AS WE LOOK AT SCHOOL SAFETY ESPECIALLY THAT WE MAINTAIN

[2. New Development/Growth]

>> ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU.

SO IF THERE IS NO FURTHER DISCUSSION LET'S MOVE TO ITEM NUMBER TWO WHICH IS NEW DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH.

GOOD MORNING. >> YES, SIR.

GOOD MORNING I AM FOREST CONTIN AND THE NEW GROWTH MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR FOR THE COUNTY.

I AM JOINED WITH OUR DEPARTMENT'S PLANNING MANAGER THERESA BISHOP. WE HAVE PUT SOME SLIDES TOGETHER FOR YOU AND THE SLIDE PRESENTATION WAS AN APPROPRIATE SEGUE INTO SOME OF THE GROWTH ISSUES WE HAVE HERE AND SOME OF THE CHALLENGES WE FACE.

IT IS HARD TO PUT HOTSPOTS ON MAPS BECAUSE EVERYWHERE IN ST.

JOHNS COUNTY IS A HOTSPOT. WE ARE GROWING AND GROWING RAPIDLY AND WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE THAT WE ARE GROWING. ONE THING I ALWAYS SAID ABOUT GROWTH IS I HAVE ALWAYS WORKED IN THE RAPID GROWTH COMMUNITIES AND YOU ARE EITHER GROWING OR DYING.

YOU DON'T WANT TO BE THE LATTER.

WE CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN INFRASTRUCTURE AND PROVIDE THE SCHOOL FACILITIES NECESSARY AND DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO MAINTAIN OUR QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE COUNTY.

SO WHAT WE HAVE DONE, WE TALKED ABOUT HOTSPOTS AND THESE ARE QUICK FIGURES FOR YOU.

WE KNOW THAT WE ARE A COUNTY OF ABOUT 275,000 PEOPLE.

WE ARE SOMEWHAT UNUSUAL IN THAT WE HAVE A LIMITED NUMBER OF MUNICIPALITY -- MUNICIPALITIES.

THERE IS MORE RESPONSIBILITY THAN MOST COUNTIES YOU WILL FIND THROUGHOUT THE STATE. OUR GROWTH PROJECTIONS SHOW THAT BY THE YEAR 2045 WE MAY BE CLOSE TO 500,000 PEOPLE.

SO THIS COUNTY HAS BEEN GROWING FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO GROW FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

TO ILLUSTRATE SOME OF THE GROWTH, AND OF COURSE THE LARGEST IS RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT AND THAT IS ACCOMPLISHED IN TWO WAYS. FORMERLY THROUGH THE DYI PROCESS. MOST ARE PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENTS AND WE WANT TO SHOW SMU FIGURES NOT -- WE WANT TO SHOW YOU SOME FIGURES ABOUT NOT JUST WHAT WE HAVE, BUT WHAT IS IN THE COUNTY SO YOU CAN GET A SNAP SHOT OF WHERE WE ARE HEADED FROM A GROWTH PERSPECTIVE.

WITH THAT IF WE CAN ADVANCE THE SLIDE.

THERE WE GO. THIS IS THE FIRST EXHIBIT.

THIS IS RESIDENTIAL BUILDING PERMITS AND NEW CONSTRUCTION IN 2020. I DON'T THINK WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS GOING TO SURPRISE YOU AT ALL.

WE ARE GROWING EVERYWHERE, THE NORTHWEST QUADRANT OF THE COUNTY IS REALLY WHERE WE ARE SEEING THE LARGEST OF GROWTH AND THAT'S WHERE WE ARE GETTING A LOT OF OUR ISSUES WITH TRANSPORTATION AND WHAT HAVE YOU.

I KNOW THE COMMISSIONERS ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THAT.

I HAD SOME OTHER SLIDES HERE THAT I NEEDED TO HAVE INSERTED. HERE WE GO.

LET'S WORK OUR WAY AROUND THE COUNTY.

HERE IS THE NORTHWEST QUADRANT.

THIS IS UNBUILT RESIDENTIAL. WHAT YOU CAN SEE IS IDARK AND TS THE NUMBER OF UNITS APPROVED NOT NECESSARILY CONSTRUCTED YET. AND SO WHAT YOU CAN SEE IS THE LARGE S OF THE QUADRANT IS IN FACT SHADED DARK.

AS WE MOVE TO THE NORTHEAST NOW WE ARE LOOKING AT THE U.S.

1 CORRIDOR AND MOVING OUT NORTHWARD.

[01:00:02]

IT IS SIMPLY JUST TO ILLUSTRATE THE AMOUNT OF GROWTH WE HAVE AND THE AMOUNT OF GROWTH WE WILL CONTINUE TO SEE. AND WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF UNITS THAT ARE ENTITLED THAT WILL STILL BE COMING ONLINE.

AND THERESA IS WITH ME AND SHE HAS GOT A GOOD BIT OF BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT PARTICULAR PROJECTS AND THEIR TIMING AND TO THE EXTENT I AM ABLE TO ANSWER THOSE I WILL BE GLAD TO

DO THAT AS WELL. >> THERESA, PLEASE.

>> ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? >> IF WE CAN GO BACK TO THE CUT OVER LAY MAP. YOU HAVE SO MANY DIFFERENT AREAS IN THE NORTHEAST AND THE NORTHWEST THAT ARE REALLY CONGESTED RIGHT NOW. THAT HAS TO PUT TREMENDOUS PRESSURE. I KNOW, KELLY, YOU AND I HEAR FROM MANY PARENTS CONCERNED ABOUT HOW THAT WILL PLAY OUT.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S -- WE HEARD THE SHERIFF SAY THAT'S ONE OF THE CHALLENGES. WE HAVE ONE OF THE BEST PLACES TO LIVE IN THE COUNTRY AND PEOPLE WILL WANT TO MOVE HERE SO THAT'S GOING TO BE AN ON GOING CHALLENGE.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT?

>> I THINK THAT FROM MY STANDPOINT FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD, WE ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO LEARN ABOUT THE PROCESS.

WHAT I HAVE COME ACROSS IS WHAT YOU HEAR IN OTHER DESIRABLE COMMUNITIES. WE ARE HERE, NOW CLOSE THE GATE. A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THE HISTORY BEHIND THE COMMUNITY.

THEY DON'T REALIZE FUNDING DEVELOPMENTS WERE APPROVED AND THEY DON'T -- YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT MOST OF THESE HAVE BEEN APPROVED FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

AND SO I TRY TO APPROACH IT MORE WITH AN EDUCATIONAL

PIECE. >> WHEN YOU LOOK AT -- WE GO TO THE SLIDE WHERE IT HAS ALL OF THE DIFFERENT -- ALL OF THE

DRI'S? >> THERE WE GO.

SORRY ABOUT THAT. >> WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS, IT IS UNBELIEVABLE THAT IT IS ONLY 60% BUILT OUT.

OBVIOUSLY IT IS GOING TO CREATE, AS THE GROWTH CONTINUES, CHALLENGES AND OBVIOUSLY PARENTS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND ANXIOUS ABOUT HOW THAT WILL PLAY OUT. WE WILL OPEN IT UP AND THIS IS OUR CHANCE, BOARD MEMBERS, TO TALK TO EACH OTHER.

THE GOOD THING IS KELLY POINTED OUT WE TALK FREQUENTLY AND WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO INTERSECT QUITE A BIT.

THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS LOST SOMETIMES.

WE ARE ABLE TO -- YOU KNOW, AS THE COUNTY COMMISSION AND BOARD MEMBERS CAN'T TALK ABOUT ISSUES, BUT WE CAN TALK TO OUR COUNTERPARTS ON THE SCHOOL BOARD ABOUT SPECIFIC ISSUES

AND COME UP WITH A SOLUTION. >> I GUESS HAVE I A QUESTION OR DISCUSSION ITEM FOR ALL OF US, SCHOOL BOARD AND CON -- COUNTY COMMISSIONER. THAT IS WE ALL KNOW AND THE SHERIFF REITERATED AGAIN THIS MORNING THAT OUR COUNTY CONTINUES TO GROW IN POPULATION AND EVEN IN LIGHT OF COVID-19, NOVEMBER WAS A GOOD EXAMPLE.

SING GEM FAMILY -- SINGLE FAMILY HOME PERMITS WAS 270 AND IN NOVEMBER OF 2020 IT WAS 520.

TO ME THAT IS COUNTER INFEW -- INTUITIVE.

YOU WOULD THINK THAT WITH COVID-19, BUT OUR COUNTY IS GROWING. I WANT TO CONTRAST THAT TO THE DOWNSIDE OF COVID-19 FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM I WOULD GUESS IS A DRAMATIC DROP IN SALES TAX REVENUE AND THERE IS A PROPOSED SALES TAX FOR THE SCHOOL INSTRUCTION.

AND NOW I AM SITTING HERE AS COUNTY COMMISSIONER AND RECOGNIZING THAT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION ISSUES AND SCHOOL CAPACITY ISSUES.

[01:05:02]

WE HAVE THE CONTINUED GROWTH AND PROBABLY A DRAMATIC DECREASE. I HAVE LOOKED AT THE SUCCESS OF BUILDING SCHOOLS BAILS -- BASED ON THE SALES TAX REVENUE YOU WERE ABLE TO SECURE AND THERE WERE SEVERAL NEW SCHOOLS BUILT EXCLUSIVELY WITH THE SALES TAX REVENUE.

AND I AM GUESSING IT WILL DRAMATICALLY DECREASE.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT PART OF THE AGENDA THIS IS GOOD FOR, BUT I WANTED TO BRING IT UP WHAT IS A POSSIBLE ISSUE WITH NEW SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION BEING LIMITED WHEN OUR POPULATION CONTINUES TO SKY ROCKET. JUST MY THOUGHTS THIS

MORNING. >> YES.

>> JUST IN AN ANSWER TO THAT WE DID SEE A DROP IN SALES TAX RECEIPTS, BUT INTERESTINGLY THEY ARE RE RECOVERING AND BECAUSE THERE IS MORE POPULATION THERE IS MORE PEOPLE TO SPEND MONEY FOR SALES TAX RECEIPTS.

THEY ARE REBOUNDING, BUT ARE YOU RIGHT THEY DID DROP.

WE ARE GRATEFUL TO ST. JOHNS COUNTY RESIDENTS FOR APPROVING THAT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE WOULD DO WITHOUT IT. THANK YOU.

>> IT SEEMS TO ME THAT COMMUNICATION LIKE PUBLIC SAFETY AND SCHOOL SAFETY, SAFETY BETWEEN THE AGENCIES IS CRITICAL. AS FAR AS GROWTH IT IS THE SAME THING. IT COMES DOWN TO NUMBERS.

I REMEMBER WHEN I FIRST GOT ON THE SCHOOL BOARD HOW IMPRESSED I WAS THAT THE DISTRICT WAS ALWAYS LOOKING AHEAD TO THREE, FIVE YEARS OUT. IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT, PEOPLE LIKE NICOLE, THE NUMBERS WHERE YOU ARE HEADED IT IS HARD TO PLAN. THE NUMBERS ARE RELATED TO IT, THE SAME COUNTY NUMBERS. COMMUNICATING THE NUMBERS IS A KEY. AND I WANT TO TAKE THE CHANCE TO FOLLOW-UP ON MR. DEAN. I WANT TO THANK THE CITIZENS OF ST. JOHNS SOWN TEE -- COUNTY FOR PASSING THE HALF CENT SALES TAX FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

IF THE CITIZENS DIDN'T DO THAT , THERE WOULD BE PANIC WITH PARENTS. IT IS HARD TO DESCRIBE WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED, BUT WE WOULD HAVE SCHOOL IN THE MORNING AND A DIFFERENT SCHOOL IN THE BUILDING IN THE AFTERNOON. THINGS WERE GOING TO GET REALLY DESPERATE. THE CITIZENS STEPPED UP.

YEARS AGO TALLAHASSEE USED TO SEND SCHOOL DISTRICTS INCLUDING THIS DISTRICT MONEY FOR CAPITAL OUTLETS.

IT IS MONEY TO BUILD SCHOOLS. BUT THEY DON'T ANYMORE.

BECAUSE OF THAT THE HALF CENT WAS EVEN MORE CRITICAL.

THANK YOU. >> I THINK THAT IS AN IMPORTANT POINT AS WELL IS HOW THE FUNDING WORKS.

THERE IS SOMETIMES A MISUNDERSTANDING FROM THE GOVERNMENT ON HOW THINGS WORKS AND MAYBE THINGS REPLACED 10, 15 YEARS AGO ARE NOT IN PLACE NOW.

THERE HAS TO BE A CONSTANT ADAPTING OF THE PROCESS.

I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU TO BRIEFLY OUTLINE SOME OF THE WORKING RELATIONSHIP. OBVIOUSLY THERE IS A PROBLEM SUCCESS WHEN WE ARE EVALUATING AGENDA ITEMS. CAN YOU BRIEFLY TOUCH ON THAT?

>> YEAH. I THINK THE COORDINATION IS REALLY GOOD. WE HAVE A LOT MORE TOOLS HERE THAN WHERE I CAME FROM IN ALABAMA, AND THERE IS GOOD WORK ON ABSORBTION THAT HAS BEEN DONE.

THERE IS A LOT OF FORWARD THINKING THAT GOES ON AND THE FACT THAT WE HAVE THE PREDICT BUILT OF THE HUD PROCESS AND KNOWING THAT IT IS TRACKED AT THE RATE THEY ARE BUILDING AND THE UNITS THAT ARE ENTITLED SO WE CAN GET AHEAD FROM A SCHOOL FACILITIES PERSPECTIVE. THE TOOLS ARE USEFUL AND

PROGRESSIVE. >> ESPECIALLY K THE DRI'S -- WITH THE DRI'S GOING AWAY. I WAS GOING TO TURN IT OVER -- I THINK WHAT IT HIGHLIGHTED IS THE SOUTHWEST PART OF THE

[01:10:01]

MR. PULLMAN AND DMITION -- AND COMMISSIONER SMITH, WHAT IS THE GROWTH YOU ARE SEEING? ANY PARTICULAR THOUGHTS ON

THAT? >> HAVING BEEN RAISED IN HASTINGS 35, 40, 50 YEARS TO SEE THE DEVELOPMENT MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION IT IS A CONSTANT REMINDER OF HOW FAST THE COUNTY IS GROWING. IT IS IRONIC AND THE THINGS THAT ARE ALSO DEAR TO OUR HEARTS BECAUSE WE ARE EDUCATING OUR KIDS AND COMING BACK AND BEING TEACHERS AND OPENING UP ROOM FOR HOMES TO BE BUILT FOR THEM AND DECENT SALARIES. THOSE THINGS THAT WE SEE AND THOSE THAT WENT BEFORE US WERE LABORS AND PERSISTENT AND COMPASSIONATE ABOUT IT, AND NOW WE WILL BEGIN TO REAP THE

BENEFITS FROM. >> THERE WAS SOMETHING MENTIONED I THINK IS IRONIC AND DONE BEFORE AS A COMBINED GROUP. THE SOUTHWESTERN PART OF THE COUNTY IN DISTRICT 2 WHICH WE REPRESENT BACK IN THE 70S HAD THREE HIGH SCHOOLS. THREE HIGH SCHOOLS WERE IN DISTRICT 2 AND WE DON'T HAVE ONE NOW.

THAT'S INTERESTING HOW THINGS HAVE CONTRACTED AND LEFT DISTRICT 2 AND ARE NOW DEPLOYED TO OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTY. I AM HOPEFUL WE WILL GET ANOTHER HIGH SCHOOL BACK IN DISTRICT 2 IN THE SOUTHWESTERN PART OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY. THAT ALSO COMES WITH GROWTH.

THINGS CHANGE, WE UNDERSTAND THAT.

BUT THINGS HAVE CHANGED RADICALLY IN WHO WE ARE AS A COUNTY AND GEOGRAPHICALLY AND STRATEGICALLY.

IT IS INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THINGS HAPPEN.

CHANGE FROM THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN HERE.

I WANT TO MENTION THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE GO TO -- ESPECIALLY IN REGARD TO PORTABLES, BUT I WAS RAISED IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY.

IT IS SUPERINTENDANT FORESOM, BUT TOLLS COACH TO ME -- BUT IT IS ALWAYS COACH TO ME. I WAS IN A PORTABLE CLASSROOM AND WE WERE NOT GROWING RAPIDLY SO IT IS NOTHING NEW.

I SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN THE PORTABLES.

SOME THINGS HAVE CHANGED AND SOME HAS NOT.

PARTS CHANGED RADICALLY AND WE WERE REDUCED IN SERVICE.

I WILL SAY THIS TOO. 1985 I BELIEVE THEY CLOSED HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL AND SHIPPED A BUNCH OF US FROM THE SOUTHWESTERN PART OF THE COUNTY TO ST. AUGUSTINE HIGH SCHOOL. THAT WAS A LONG RIDE FOR SOME OF US IN THE SOUTHWESTERN PART OF THE COUNTY.

FOR ME IT STARTED AT 5 AFTER 6:00 AND I GOT TO SCHOOL AT 8:20 -- I GOT THERE BETWEEN 8:20 AND 8:25 TWICE A DAY.

THINGS HAVE CHANGED. I AM THANKFUL THAT PATRON MENEDEZ WAS PUT IN PLACE SO WE CAN SERVE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE IN SOUTHWESTERN PARK. THOSE ARE SOME OBSERVATIONS FROM SOMEBODY BORN AND REARED HERE THAT I THINK HAS RADICALLY CHANGED. I JUST THINK WE NEED TO BE REMINDED OF THOSE TOO. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.

>> THANK YOU. >> I JUST WANT TO MENTION ONE THING. WHILE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE SALES TAX BEFORE WE LEAVE TO TOUCH ON THAT.

WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT SAFETY THIS MORNING.

ONE OF THE CATEGORIES OF THE SALES TAX DOLLARS IS SAFETY.

AND THAT WAS PUT INTO PLACE BEFORE THE PARKLAND TRAGEDY.

WE HAVE HAD OUR EYE ON THAT SAFETY BALL FOR A VERY LONGTIME. AND THEN JUST SHIFTING BACK TO THE CURRENT TOPIC, I THINK COMMUNICATION AND PLANNING ARE THE TWO THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO SAVE US FROM ALL OF THIS RAPID GROWTH. IT WILL ENABLE US TO WEATHER THE STORM LIKE WE HAVE BEEN. MAYBE WE GET A LITTLE BEHIND THE BALL, BUT FOR THE MOST PART WE ARE STAYING UP WITH IT. I SO APPRECIATE THE COOPERATION BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND ITS STAFF AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND ITS STAFF. THANK YOU.

>> AND WE WANT THAT RELATIONSHIP TO CONTINUE.

THAT WAS ONE OF THE PURPOSES WE DISCUSSED THIS.

WE WANT MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO -- EVEN THOUGH WE ALL INTERACT AND WE HAVE DISCUSSIONS, WE WANT TO DO IT MORE COLLECTIVELY AS WELL. MR. WINGERS?

>> I DON'T KNOW WHAT MORE TO ADD OTHER THAN WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN SAID. I GRADUATED FROM NIECE HIGH SCHOOL BUT WHERE I GREW UP THERE WAS NO HIGH SCHOOLS.

WE PROBABLY NEED A THIRD JUST TO ACCOMMODATE THE GROWTH.

[01:15:02]

WE HAVE A NUMBER OF THEM IN THE NORTHWEST AND I'M SURE IT IS NOT UNIQUE TO MY DISTRICT, BUT I'M CONFRONTED WITH MY NEIGHBORS AND MY FRIENDS AND THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT 1 TRYING TO ACCOMMODATE ALL OF THE GROWTH THAT IS HAPPENING AND THE ROADWAYS AND THE SCHOOLS AND THE CHALLENGE THAT'S COME WITH THAT. IT IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT IS EVER PRESENT IN MY MIND AND SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE ARE ALL AWARE OF AND WE ARE ALL WORKING TOGETHER TO ADDRESS.

>> I WOULD JUST SAY GOING FORWARD I THINK IT IS SOMETHING WE ALL TOUCHED ON. THERE WILL BE CHALLENGES AND IT IS BALANCING THE GROWTH AND RECOGNIZING THAT PEOPLE WANT TO MOVE HERE BECAUSE IT IS A GREAT COMMUNITY, BUT BEING JUDICIOUS AND VERY ORGANIZED IN HOW WE DO THAT AND BEING SMART IN OUR GROWTH AND VERY BALANCED.

THAT'S GOING TO BE AN ON GOING CHALLENGE.

I WANT TO TURN IT BACK TO OUR STAFF.

IS THERE ANYMORE FINAL FEEDBACK FROM STAFF? WE PROBABLY COULD SPEND A LOT MORE TIME ON THIS, BUT WANT TO

MAKE SURE WE ARE -- >> I KNOW GROWTH WILL CONTINUE TO BE A CONVERSATION PIECE, BUT I THINK FOR PURPOSES OF THIS MEETING WE SHARED WHAT WE WANTED TO GET IN FRONT OF

YOU. >> MR. POULSON?

>> TO THE POINTS YOU ALL MADE, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS I SHARE PUBLICLY WITH FAMILIES AS THEY MOVE IN IS HERE IS THE REALITY. WE HAVE TO BE TRANSPARENT AND UP FRONT WITH FAMILIES. WHEN THEY COME TO ST. JOHNS COUNTY AND ESPECIALLY IF YOU COME TO THE NORTH END OF THE COUNTY THERE IS A GREAT CHANCE IF YOU HAVE A CHILD IN AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THAT BEFORE THEY LEAVE OUR SYSTEM, THEY WILL BE REZONED AT SOME POINT IN TIME TO A NEW SCHOOL OR TO ANOTHER SCHOOL. THAT'S JUST THE PACE AND THAT'S THE REALITY. SOMETIMES YOU HEAR IT AND WE HEAR IT. IT IS SUCH RESISTANCE OF HAVING TO BE AT A NEW SCHOOL OR A GROWING SCHOOL.

FOR US TO BE RESPONSIVE AND TO PROVIDE THE BEST EDUCATIONAL LEN VIERNLG -- BEST EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT THASES -- THAT IS ONE OF THE FEATURES OF A FAST-GROWINGEN VEURN MEANT. THE SCHOOL ASSIGNMENTS WILL CHANGE AND THE REALITY AND THE FOCUS OF THIS BOARD IS WE ARE 44,000 STUDENTS STRONG AND WHETHER YOU ARE A PEDRO MEN NEN -- MENENDEZ OR NIECE AND IF YOU ARE TAKINGAL SWRAW -- TAKING ALGEBRA 1, IT IS THE SAME ALGEBRA 1.

>> COACH IS STILL COACH FOR US.

YOU KNOW IN SCHOOL GROWING UP LIKE WE DID AND IN SCHOOL HERE , WE WERE IN DIFFERENT SCHOOLS FOR FIFTH, 6TH, SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADES. SO MOVING SCHOOLS WAS SOMETHING WE WERE USED TO. BACK IN THE SMALLER TOWNS IT IS GOOD TO KEEP EVERYBODY TOGETHER.

EVERYBODY WE WENT TO SCHOOL WITH WE KNEW.

EVERYBODY IN THE FIFTH GRADE ON WE WERE IN THE SAME SCHOOLS AND THE SAME GRADUATING CLASS.

IT MADE A DIFFERENCE. LIKE YOU SAID THERE IS GOING TO BE CHANGES IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

I KNOW WE GET COMPLAINTS AND WE RECEIVE SOME OF THOSE SAME COMPLAINTS. IT WAS KIND OF THE COMMON THEME BACK IN THE DAY IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY.

YOU SWITCHED SCHOOLS REGULARLY.

THANK YOU. >> I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ONE COMMENT IF I MIGHT. PRIOR TO NIECE HIGH SCHOOL BEING BUILT, MOST OF YOUR STUDENTS AT THE NORTHEAST END WENT TO PUBLIC SCHOOL IN DUBOLD COUNTY.

WE LOST FTE. WE PROVIDED TRANSPORTATION.

WE ALSO HAD TO PAY A FEE. I DON'T THINK PEOPLE REALIZE THAT. WHEN I FIRST STARTED TEACHING IN SAINT JOHNS COUNTY I TAUGHT AT HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL.

IT WAS IN THE EARLY 60S. AT THAT TIME I THINK THE STUDENT POPULATION IN SAINT JOHNS COUNTY WAS ABOUT 6,000 STUDENTS. TODAY WE ARE CLOSE TO 45,000.

SO IT IS JUST -- A LOT OF THINGS CHANGE.

MANY PEOPLE WHEN THEY MOVE INTO AN AREA THAT IS GROWING RAPIDLY ASSUME THEY ARE GOING TO BE AT THE SAME SCHOOL FOR THEIR K-5 OR 6-8 OR 9-12. IN A RAPIDLY GROWING AREA, THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE. PEOPLE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE REZONED, AND IT DOES CAUSE A LOT OF CONCERN AMONG PARENTS.

WHEN WE BUILD NEW SCHOOLS, WE BUILD NEW SCHOOLS FOR THE STUDENTS IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY AND NOT FOR A NEIGHBORHOOD.

I MAY BE JUMPING AROUND A BIT, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING PEOPLE HAVE GOT TO REALIZE. YOU ARE MOVING TO A RAPIDLY GROWING AREA. DON'T THINK YOU WILL HAVE A NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL BECAUSE YOU WILL NOT.

YOU WILL BE MOVING AROUND BY VIRTUE OF THE FACT THAT WE HAVE TO BALANCE OUR STUDENT POPULATION.

WE WORK REAL HARD IN PROVIDING PROGRAMS AT ALL OF SCHOOLS

[01:20:05]

>> THANK YOU. YES?

>> I WILL JUST ADD TO THAT AND WE ALSO WORK VERY HARD TO KEEP NEIGHBORHOODS TOGETHER. AS PAUL SAID, CHILDREN ARE TRAVELING WITH OTHER CHILDREN IN THEIR SAME NEIGHBORHOOD.

A LOT OF WORK GOES BEHIND THE REZONING PROCESS AND A LOT OF PLANNING GOES BEHIND AND A LOT OF DISCUSSION GOES BEHIND IT, BUT IT IS TRULY -- IT IS -- THE WAY ST. JOHNS COUNTY DOES IT REGARDLESS OF HOW DIFFICULT IT CAN BE SOMETIMES IS REALLY INSIGHTFUL BECAUSE WHEN WE OPEN A NEW SCHOOL WE ALSO TAKE STAFF FROM THE CURRENT SCHOOL TO HELP OPEN THE NEW SCHOOL SO THAT WE HAVE STAFF AND WE HAVE ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS AND GUIDANCE COUNSELORS AND TEACHERS IN EACH GRADE.

THEY KNOW THOSE STUDENTS AND THEY KNOW THE FAMILIES.

IT IS SO STUDENTS ARE NOT WALKING INTO A BRAND-NEW SCHOOL WITH BRAND-NEW PEOPLE. A LOT OF TIME AND ENERGY IS SPENT HAVING THE PRINCIPAL BECOME A -- BECOME ACQUAINTED WITH THE FAMILIES AND THE STUDENTS.

AND SO I THINK CHANGING SCHOOLS CAN BE DIFFICULT, BUT I THINK ST. JOHNS COUNTY WORKS HARD TO TRY TO BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS BEFORE A STUDENT EVER CHANGES.

>> I KNOW COMMISSIONER WHITEHURST AND I HAVE SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN AND IT IS EVER PRESENT IN OUR FAMILY'S MINDS AND IT CERTAINLY PRESENTS CHALLENGES.

WE TOUCHED ON THIS A LITTLE BIT.

IF THERE IS NO FURTHER DISCUSSION ON AGENDA ITEM 2 WE

WILL GO INTO REDISTRICTING. >> [INAUDIBLE].

MAY I APPROACH? >> [INAUDIBLE].

PEOPLE HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON AGENDA ITEMS. I DON'T CARE IF WE ARE HERE ALL DAY, BUT WE HAVE MOMS WHO HAVE TALKEN OFF WORK -- TAKEN OFF TIME.

PEOPLE HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON AGENDA ITEMS. I AM ASKING COUNCIL AND A POINT OF ORDER TO ADDRESS THOSE ESPECIALLY -- I WILL WAIT UNTIL THE END, BUT PEOPLE HAVE TAKEN OFF WORK BASED ON WHAT WAS PUBLISHED.

>> AND WE DO HAVE TIME RESERVED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.

>> THEY HAVE TAKEN OFF FOR THE AGENDA ITEMS. SHE HAS TAKEN UP UNTIL 11:00 AND SHE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON NUMBER ONE. THE PURPOSE OF THE MEETING IS TO DISCUSS DASH -- [INAUDIBLE].

SIGN UP SHEET PER AGENDA ITEM.

IT IS A WORKSHOP ASSIGNMENT, BUT I WILL WAIT UNTIL THE END. HONESTLY THERE ARE MOMS AND PEOPLE PROBABLY CALLING AND HOLDING ON THE LINE.

THEY THOUGHT THIS WAS AN OFFICIAL MEETING BASED ON WHAT WE SAW BASED ON THE WEBSITE. THEY HAVE GOT BABYSITTERS.

THEY HAVE TAKEN OFF WORK. THEY HAVE PUSHED MEETINGS --

>> MA'AM, I UNDERSTAND AND I HAVE HEARD YOU.

>> BASED ON WHAT YOU ADVERTISED.

SO AS A POINT OF ORDER WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE ALLOWED AN ADVERTISED OFFICIAL BOARD MEETING TO SPEAK ON EACH

AGENDA ITEM. >> MOM, YOU HAVE TAKEN THE TIME AND I HEARD YOU AND WE UNDERSTAND.

PUBLIC COMMENT IS RESERVED UNTIL THE END.

MCMR. COR MAC? MR. MCCORMACK?

>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. WHERE PUBLIC COMMENT IS REQUIRE SAID IF THERE IS ACTUALLY A MOTION AND A VOTE PRIOR TO ANY DECISIONS SHOULD THAT HAPPEN AT ALL TODAY THEN THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE PUBLIC COMMENT AND EVEN IF IT WAS ON A PARTICULAR ITEM. OTHER THAN THAT -- MR. CHAIR, BEFORE ITEM UP IN -- BEFORE ITEM NUMBER THREE HERE, BEFORE THE COMMENT AT THE END WE HAVE A CONSTITUENT ASK IF IT WILL BE GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT OR IF IT IS THE ITEMS 1 THROUGH 5. AND ALSO IF IT IS A GENERAL

PUBLIC COMMENT. >> YES, SIR.

>> I WANT AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD TIME INTO THE AGENDA FOR THAT, AMPLE TIME TO ADDRESS THAT.

THAT'S WHY I WANT TO GET THROUGH THESE AGENDA ITEMS.

>> JUDGE, IT DOESN'T MATTER TO ME.

>> DO WE WANT TO HEAR PUBLIC COMMENT NOW ON THIS MATTER?

>> I DO. >> THAT'S FINE.

[01:25:02]

>> I'M ONLY ONE MEMBER, BUT THESE PARENTS ARE HERE AND THEY HAVE BABYSITTERS AND I THINK WE SHOULD GO AHEAD.

I ALMOST RAISED THE ISSUE ON ITEM ONE IN SCHOOL SAFETY THAT THESE PEOPLE HAVE CONTACTED ME AND I KNOW WHY THEY ARE HERE.

I THINK WE SHOULD HEAR THEM NOW AND THAT'S MY POSITION.

[Public Comment (Part 1 of 2)]

>> IS THERE A CONSENSUS? >> THAT'S FINE.

>> OKAY. WE WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT.

>> MR. CHAIR, MR. CHAIR THIS IS GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT.

IT CAN BE ON ANY ITEM OR -- >> THAT'S CORRECT.

WE WILL STILL HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE END.

MY PREFERENCE IS IF SOMEBODY IS HERE FOR A SPECIFIC ITEM -- AGENDA ITEM ADDRESS IT 1 THROUGH 5 AND THEN GENERAL

PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THE END. >> BRIEFLY BEFORE YOU START.

>> WE LIMIT PUBLIC COMMENT TO THREE MINUTES EACH, PLEASE.

THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.

>> HI. MY NAME IS CLARA EDWARDS.

MY HUSBAND AND I WERE BOTH ENGINEERS AND WORK FULL TIME TO PROVIDE A BETTER LIFE FOR OUR THREE CHILDREN IN THE BEST COUNTY TO LIVE IN FLORIDA. I'M SORRY I AM VERY EMOTIONAL AND I AM GOING TO TELL YOU WHY.

WE HAVE LIVED IN ST. JOHNS FOREST NEIGHBORHOOD FOR ABOUT 14 YEARS. WE DIDN'T HAVE SCHOOL BUSES UNTIL A YEAR AND A HALF WHEN THE SCHOOL BOARD DECIDED AND FORCED THE KIDS TO WALK ON A DANGEROUS SIDEWALK NEXT TO THE FREEWAY INTERSTATE CONNECTOR. I AM HERE TO ASK YOU, TO BEG YOU TO PLEASE OPEN YOUR HEARTS AND HELP BRING A SCHOOL BUS TO ST. JOHNS FOREST CHILDREN. THE SIDEWALK NEXT TO THE FREEWAY CONNECTOR IS NOT SAFE FOR THE KIDS.

THERE HAVE BEEN TOO MANY CAR ACCIDENTS.

FIRST WAS THIS LITTLE BOY THAT ON HIS WAY TO SCHOOL, HE COULDN'T GO AND HE FACED DEATH HORRIFIC SCENE AND SCARY SCENE WHERE OFFICERS AND A CAR FLIPPED ON HIS SIDEWALK THAT HE WAS BIKING TO SCHOOL. HE COULDN'T GO AND MOVE FORWARD. HE WAS 30 MINUTES LATE TO SCHOOL. THE MOM AFTER THAT HAS TO BE CALLING BECAUSE THE BOY WAS CRYING UNSTOPPABLE.

THE SECOND CAR ACCIDENT -- AND THIS IS RECENT.

IT HAPPENED -- I AM NOT SURE WHEN IT HAPPENED.

THIS -- THAT LITTLE GIRL IS MY DAUGHTER.

HER NAME IS BELLA. SHE IS EIGHT YEARS OLD.

AND SHE WAS GOING TO SCHOOL ON HER BIKE AND I WAS SHAKING TO THINK THAT IF SHE -- [INAUDIBLE] IF SHE WAS A FEW MINUTES EARLY THAT CAR WOULD HAVE HIT HER AND PROBABLY KILLED MY DAUGHTER. IT IS IMPORTANT AND I ASK PERMISSION [INAUDIBLE] TO SPEAK TO ME.

THIS IS A DANGEROUS SIDEWALK AND CARS AND TRUCKS DRIVE OVER 50 MILES. WE GOT A REPORT FROM ST. JOHNS SHERIFF OFFICER WHERE IT HAS BEEN 165 RECORDS AND 21 CRASHES IN LESS THAN ONE YEAR AROUND THAT INTERSTATE.

THEY HAVE 41 CITATIONS AND 103 WARNINGS ALL RELATED TO HIGH SPEEDS OVER 55 MILES AN HOUR. IT IS VERY HARD FOR THE KIDS WHEN THEY BIKE TO SCHOOL AND THEY SEE THREE SCHOOL BUSES PARKED IDLE NEXT TO THE FIELD AND THEY CANNOT JUST TURN BACK AND PICK UP MORE KIDS THAT THEY CAN DO A DOUBLE RUN.

THE SCHOOL IS VERY CLOSE TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

HERE ARE THE THREE BUSES RIGHT THERE PARKED --

>> MA'AM. THAT IS THREE MINUTES.

YOU DID VERY GOOD. I KNOW THIS IS AN EMOTIONAL ISSUE AND YOU DID VERY GOOD IN YOUR PRESENTATION.

FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEM ONE?

>> AND IF THE SPEAKER S WHO PUT THEIR MATERIALS INTO THE

RECORD. >> MADAM.

>> MA'AM! COULD YOU JUST PROVIDE THE PICTURES?

>> YES. THEY HAVE COPIES.

>> NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. NAME AND ADDRESS.

>> HELLO. MY NAME IS RACHEL BANEL.

MY ADDRESS IS 1225MTENGO -- MATEGO CIRCLE.

WE ARE IN THE SAME NEIGHBORHOOD, OBVIOUSLY.

SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU FOR TAKING YOUR TIME TO HEAR FROM US IN REVISITING THE REINSTATEMENT OF BUS SERVICE FOR ST. JOHNS FOREST.

[01:30:01]

FOR THAT MOST PEOPLE AREN'T ABLE TO ATTEND THIS MEETING GIVING OF THEIR SCHEDULE AND I AM HERE TO SPEAK ON THEIR BEHALF. EVERY DAY WHEN DROPPING MY KIDS OFF I WORRY ABOUT THE CHILDREN WALKING OR RIDING THEIR BIKES AS CARS GO RACING PAST THEM.

ON NUMEROUS OCCASION THERE'S HAVE BEEN ACCIDENTS THAT CLAIRE MENTIONED THAT HAVE HAD HAPPENED A SECOND SOONER WOULD HAVE SEVERELY INJURED INNOCENT STUDENTS.

I MESSAGED MOST OF YOU AND MANY OF THE RESPONSES HAVE BEEN THE SAME. I WOULD NOT LET MY KIDS WALK ON THAT PATH. IT IS JUST NOT SAFE.

SHOULD ANY PARENT HAVE TO SHOULDER THIS BURDEN? AS A PUBLIC OFFICIAL IT IS YOUR JOB TO PROTECT ALL THE STUDENTS OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY. OBVIOUSLY THIS ISSUE RESURFACED FOR GOOD REASON AND I IMPLORE YOU TO PRIORITIZE THE SAFETY OF OUR KIDS. ANY OTHER DECISION EXCEPT TO REINSTATE FULL BUS SERVICE WOULD SEND A LOUD AND CLEAR MESSAGE THAT YOU VALUE SAVING PENNIES OVER SAVING CHILDREN'S LIVES. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. >> ANY SPEAKERS IF YOU CAN LINEUP BEHIND THE PODIUM? ANYONE ELSE, PLEASE JUST COME UP AND STAND UP BEHIND THE PODIUM.

YES, MA'AM. >> NAME AND ADDRESS PLEASE,

MA'AM. >> I'M SORRY?

>> NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. >> ASHLEY JOHNSON, 120 SOUTH

ARABELA WAY. >> THANK YOU.

>> MY NAME IS ASHLEY AND I LIVE IN THE ST. JOHNS FOREST COMMUNITY. MY HOUSEHOLD WAS ONE OF THE 200. AND 1.8 AS A HOME WITH TWO WORKING PARENTS. I HAVE THREE CHILDREN AGES AND FOR MANY OTHER PARENT WOULD NOT ALLOW THEM TO WALK.

FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN BRINGING UP THE MANY SAFETY CONCERNS TO THE SCHOOL BOARD.

TO WALK OR BIKE ON THE SIDEWALK OF 2209 AND ALONGSIDE THE ON-RAMP OF STATE ROAD 90. THE SCHOOL BOARD RULE 8.13 STATES THAT THERE SHOULD BE MAXIMUM REGARD FOR THE SAFETY OF STUDENTS. THIS IS A PRIMARY REQUIREMENT. THE RULE DOES NOT STATE THAT COMPLIANCE IS BASED SIMPLY ON MEETING STATE OR FEDERAL STANDARDS. THERE ARE VARIABLES TO BE CONSIDERED. OUR CHILDREN ARE BEING DIRECTED TO TRAVEL ALONG A VERY BUSY ROAD WHERE VEHICULAR SPEEDS EXCEED 50 MILES AN HOUR.

THESE HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS ARE NOT JUST A HYPOTHETICAL, BUT A REALITY AS CLAIRE STATED. AS THE SHERIFF STATED EARLIER THE NEEDS ARE BASED UPON TRAFFIC CRASH DATA.

OVER THE PAST YEAR THERE WERE NUMEROUS ACCIDENTS OCCURRING ALONG THE ROADWAY. HAVING YOUNG STUDENTS FROM THE AGES OF 5 TO 13 WHO OFTEN HORSE PLAY AS KIDS DO WALK A PATH JUST A FEW FEET AWAY FROM SPEEDING VEHICLES IS SIMPLY NOT GIVING MAXIMUM REGARD TO THE SAFETY OF STUDENTS.

THE LOCATION -- OUR UNIQUE LOCATION SUCH AS THE CONCERNS OF CHILD ABDUCTION AND THE EASY AND QUICK ACCESS TO A MAJOR HIGHWAY WITHIN SECONDS IS ANOTHER CONCERN.

THERE IS LITTLE DOUBT THE DECISION TO REMOVE TRANSPORTATION FROM CERTAIN STUDENTS FROM ST. JOHNS FOREST COUNTY MUST BE REVERSED. WE ARE ASKING FOR ONE BUS.

ONE. SEEMS LIKE A SMALL SACRIFICE TO MAKE TO ENSURE A CHILD DOES NOT GET HURT.

THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.

>> KAW -- CASSANDRA LANE. ST. JOHNS, FLORIDA.

I WORK AT MAYO CLINIC OUT TOWARD THE BEACH.

WHEN I MOVED HERE 10 YEARS AGO I WAS GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY -- BASICALLY I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE WHEREVER I WANTED TO LIVE. I SPECIFICALLY CHOSE ST. JOHNS COUNTY BECAUSE OF ITS SCHOOLS.

I DIDN'T MIND THE LONG COMMUTE BECAUSE I KNEW MY CHILDREN WERE IN A SAFE AND EXCELLENT SCHOOL DISTRICT.

THERE'S RULES AND THERE IS COMMON SENSE, BUT EXPECTING CHILDREN AS YOUNG AS FIVE YEARS OLD TO WALK NEARLY TWO MILES MERELY FEET FROM A ROADWAY WHERE TRAFFIC REGULARLY GOES IN EXCESS OF 60 MILES PER HOUR IS IRRESPONSIBLE. SUPERINTENDENT SAID WE NEED TO BE PRO ACTIVE RATHER THAN REACTIVE SO LET'S NOT LET US BE REACTIVE TO THE DEATH OF ONE OF OUR STUDENTS SIMPLY FOR THE SAKE OF NOT PROVIDING PROPER TRANS -- TRANSPORT OR SAFE TRANSPORT FOR THESE KIDS TO ATTEND SCHOOL.

THERE IS EXCESS OF 20 MILLION IN TAXES PER YEAR.

THE COUNTY CAN FIND THE RESOURCES TO PROVIDE A SAFE

[01:35:01]

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >> THANK YOU.

>> NEXT PLEASE. >> THANK YOU.

IF WE CAN HAVE YOU LINED UP BEHIND THE MICROPHONE.

THANK YOU. >> HELLO.

MY NAME IS PAMELA AND I LIVE AT 1100 BEL-AIR COURT IN THE ST. JOHNS FOREST NEIGHBORHOOD OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY.

I HAVE TWO KIDS AT THE LIBERTY PINES ACADEMY.

I AM AN RN AT MAYO CLINIC, FLORIDA.

I AM HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE UNSAFE WALKING ROUTE REQUIRED BY THE CHILDREN OF OUR COMMUNITY.

UP UNTIL ABOUT ONE AND A HALF YEARS AGO WE HAD A SCHOOL BUS FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY AS IT WAS DEEMED THE PREVIOUS WALKING ROUTE WAS UNSAFE. WHEN THE HIGHWAY OPENED A NEW SIDEWALK WAS BUILT NEXT TO THE ON-RAMP FROM 2209 ON TO 9B AND AT THE TIME THE SCHOOL BOARD DECIDED TO TAKE OUR BUS AWAY.

WE BEGGED THE SCHOOL BOARD TO RECONSIDER AND WE WERE DENIED. THERE WAS NO MONEY FOR A BUS FOR THESE STUDENTS. THE WALKING ROUTE WAS LESS THAN TWO MILES AND OUR COMMUNITY HAD TO BE ALIGNED WITH THE OTHER STUDENTS IN THE COUNTY.

AS SPOKE OF EARLIER DECISIONS MUST BE DYNAMIC AS THINGS ARE CHANGING QUICKLY AND THE DECISION NEEDS TO BE READDRESSED. AT THE TIME WE BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE SCHOOL BOARD.

THE ROADWAY WAS NEW AND UNTESTED.

IN THE PAST TWO YEARS THERE HAVE BEEN 20 DOCUMENTED ACCIDENTS ALONG THE WALKING ROUTE FOR THESE K-8 STUDENTS.

FOUR OF THESE HAVE BEEN DOCUMENTED ON THE NEIGHBRHOOD FACEBOOK PAGE AS HAVING RESULTED IN A CRASH.

A CRASHED VEHICLE. UPON THE SAME SIDEWALK THE STUDENTS WALK ON. IF YOU CAN IMAGINE IF IT HAPPENED AT THE SAME TIME A STUDENT WAS WALKING TO SCHOOL A CHILD COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED.

WE WISH FOR THESE REASONS LIKE FOR THE COUNTY COMMISSION SCHOOL BOARD TO REINSTATE THE BUS FOR ST. JOHNS FOREST AND KEEP OUR PRECIOUS CHILDREN SAFE.

IF THAT IS UNABLE TO BE ACCOMPLISHED WE WOULD LIKE THE ROUTE TO BE RECONSIDERED WITH SUCH OPTIONS AS REDUCED SPEEDS , GUARDRAILS OR THE SIDEWALKS BEING MOVED FURTHER FROM THE ROAD, ESPECIALLY FROM 2209 WHICH IS KNOWN AS ST. JOHNS PARKWAY WHERE THE SIDEWALK IS LESS THAN FROM WHAT I CAN TELL TWO FEET FROM THE SPEEDING CARS.

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I REALIZE TODAY YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT A LOT OF BIG ISSUES THAT AFFECT OUR CHILDREN SUCH AS SCHOOL SHOOTINGS AND REOPENING THE SCHOOLS. THIS MAY SEEM LIKE A SMALLISH Y TO ALL OF YOU -- SMALL ISSUE TO ALL OF YOU, BUT IT IS BIG TO US AND WE WOULD REALLY LIKE IT TO BE ADDRESSED.

>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. YES, MA'AM.

>> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS KEA AND I LIVE AT 1 WAY CROSS COURT IN ST. JOHNS COURT IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS MORNING.

AS A NEW RESIDENT AND AS PART OF YOUR COUNTY GROWTH, I APPRECIATE HAVING THIS CHANCE TO SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY.

AS A RESIDENT OF ST. JOHNS FOREST I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE SAFETY OF OUR CHILDREN FROM JUST OVER 200 HOMES. I FIND IT INTERESTING TO SEE THE GROWTH THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTY I JUST LEARNED ABOUT TODAY. SILVER LEAVE -- SILVER LEAF WITH 10,000 HOUSES GOING IN WILL USE 229 -- I'M SORRY, 2209. STILL LEARNING THE NUMBERS.

2209 TO 9B WHERE OUR CHILDREN OF JUST 200 PLUS HOUSES HAVE TO USE TO WALK AND RIDE THEIR BIKES TO GET TO SCHOOL SAFELY BECAUSE WE WERE DENIED A BUS FOR LESS THAN TWO MILES.

RUSSELL SAMPSON IS TWO LANES AND AN INCREASE OF CARS WITHOUT THE BUS DIRECTLY IMPACTED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN.

AS FOR OUR CROSSING GUARDS, I AM THANKFUL THAT WE HAVE THOSE BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY CARS ENTERING AND EXITING CAMPUS TO PROTECT OUR STUDENTS WALKING IN AND RIDING INTO CAMPUS.

I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY MORE CARS HAVE BEEN ADDED WITHOUT THIS BUS, BUT I DO REALIZE THAT I HAVE SEEN A LOT OF TRAFFIC AND I TAKE MY DAUGHTER AND I SIT IN TRAFFIC FOR MORE THAN 30 MINUTES TO DROP HER OFF SAFELY.

I AM A LITTLE CONCERNED THAT NOW SHE WANTS TO BE INDEPENDENT AND SHE WILL HAVE TO GO ALONG 9B AND I HAVE SEEN THE ACCIDENT AND I HAVE SEEN AND HEARD ALL OF THE STORIES.

I AM VERY CONCERNED FOR THIS. AS WE ARE INCREASING OUR DEVELOPMENT I APPRECIATE THAT YOU ARE LOOKING FORWARD AND THERE WERE NO BUSES. IT DIDN'T MATTER HOW LONG YOU WERE FROM. MY DAUGHTER IS USED TO GETTING ON A BIKE AND GOING SEVERAL MILES TO HER SCHOOL.

HOWEVER, NOT ONCE DID SHE HAVE TO BE ON A STREET THAT THE CARS WERE DIRECTLY, AND ALL OF US DO IT, WORK -- WORKING QUICKLY TO GET TO WORK AND NOT FOCUSING AND INCREASING YOUR SPEED AND GETTING UP, ON TO A HIGHWAY AND ALSO GOING UPHILL ON TO THE HIGHWAY. I DIVERTED FROM MY COMMENTS,

[01:40:04]

IT IS FOR THESE CHILDREN TO BE SAFE WHEN YOU HAVE ALLOWED AND PERMITTED YEARS IN ADVANCE TO ALL OF THIS DEVELOPMENT.

ST. JOHNS COUNTY IS AMAZING. I AM SO THANKFUL THAT I MOVED HERE FROM CALIFORNIA. HOWEVER, I AM CONCERNED DIRECTLY FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

I AM A RENTER, BUT I INTEND TO AND I AM IN A CONTRACT TO PURCHASE A HOME WITHIN THE SAME NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE IT IS THAT GOOD. PLEASE CONSIDER THIS ONE SIMPLE REQUEST FROM JUST A FEW OF YOUR CITIZENS.

I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. >> YES, MA'AM.

>> THANK YOU, BOARD. KIM KENDAL, 856 EAGLE POINT DRIVE. OBVIOUSLY YOU KNOW ABOUT THE SITUATIONS YOU ARE HEARING ABOUT THE CARS GOING UP COUNTY ROAD 2209. THERE ARE SECTIONS OF 2209 THAT ARE LESS THAN THREE FEET FROM THE CURB TO THE -- THE CURB TO THE SIDEWALK. ON THE 55-MILE AN HOUR SEVEN LANES -- LANES OF TRAFFIC NEXT TO THE SIDEWALK.

HAVE I A DIFFERENT TAKE. THIS IS A COUNTY ISSUE.

ME AND THE SCHOOL BOARD CAN AGREE ON THIS.

IT IS A COUNTY PLANNING ISSUE AND WE HAVE KNOWN ABOUT IT FOR DECADES. IT WILL GO FROM SIX TO EIGHT LANES AND IT IS AN INTERSTATE CONNECTOR.

I KNOW THE SCHOOL DISTRICT CAN MAKE AN EXCEPTION.

THEY HAVE 800 KIDS THAT ARE IN HAZARDOUS AREAS WHICH AGAIN I THINK IT IS A PLANNING ISSUE. I DON'T THINK, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD SHOULD HAVE TO FIX THE MESS AND PUT IN A SCHOOL BUS. THIS IS NOT YOUR CURRENT BOARD. THE COUNTY PLANNERS KNEW THIS WAS COMING AND THIS IS A REALLY BAD SIDEWALK.

SO EVEN THE SCHOOL BUSES THAT DOES PICK UP IN ST. JOHNS FOREST DOES NOT GO OUT TO 2209 BECAUSE IT IS NOT SAFE.

IT TURNS BACK AROUND. EVEN IF THESE KIDS ALL DECIDED TO GET A SPONSORSHIP AND UBER THEMSELVES TO SCHOOL, I AM NOT GOING AWAY. AS YOUR RESIDENT, AS A COUNTY RESIDENT, THE SIDEWALK IS NOT SAFE.

WE HAVE GOT -- IT IS ONLY GETTING WORSE.

10,300 HOMES FROM SILVER LEAF THAT JUST STARTED TO BREAK GROUND. THERE NEEDS TO BE A BETTER SOLUTION. I HAVE SPOKEN TO YOUR PUBLIC WORKS GUY. THE SIDEWALK CAN BE MOVED OVER 10 FEET AND IT DOESN'T TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM COMPLETELY. THAT'S A $1.3 MILLION ISSUE.

$600,000 FROM THE COUNTY THEY HAVE NOT IDENTIFIED AND 700,000 FROM FDOT IF YOU CAN LOBBY TO GET THEM TO PAY FOR.

THE BARRIER THAT WAS ASKED FOR ALONG THE SIDE OF THE SIDEWALK, FDOT SAYS IT MAKES IT LESS SAFE BECAUSE IT PUSHES THE TRAFFIC BACK INTO THE ROAD.

THE SOLUTION IS -- THE ONLY ONE I HEARD OF IS AN ELEVATED SIDEWALK KIND OF LIKE WHAT WE HAVE GOING OVER 2209.

IT IS NOT THE PRETTIEST, BUT THIS WILL BE AN INTERSTATE CONNECTOR. WE HAVE TO DO THE FORWARD THINKING AND THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED HERE.

THIS IS THE ISSUE. MY SUGGESTION IS HAVING CO-FOUNDED MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS YOU CAN RENT FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO GET THE GUESTIATE OF COST -- GUEST MET OF COST. THE COST IS APPROXIMATELY $16,000 A YEAR. I SUGGEST THAT THE COUNTY COMMISSION PAY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO PAY FOR THAT BUS UNTIL IT IS CORRECTED, DONE CORRECTLY.

OR KNOCK UP THAT SIDEWALK BECAUSE ME AS A RESIDENT, IT IS HAZARDOUS FOR EVERYBODY UNTIL YOU FIX IT.

IF YOU KNOCK UP THE SIDEWALK IT WILL FORCE THE SCHOOL BOARD TO PAY FOR IT BECAUSE IT STOPS THE TWO-MILE CONTIGUOUS PATH.

I BELIEVE THE COUNTY SHOULD PAY YOU GUYS UNTIL THEY FIX THE PROBLEM. PUT THE SIDEWALK OVERPASS THERE AND THEN WE CAN SAFELY PUT OUR KIDS BACK ON THE ROAD. THANK YOU.

>> NEXT. >> GOOD MORNING.

TOM ROSE 15 BRIG BEGAN TEEN COURT ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH.

FIRST OF ALL I WAS REALLY SURPRISED TO HEAR PATRICK CANAN SAY THIS MORNING THAT HE BECAME CONCERNED ABOUT THE SECURITY AFTER PARKLAND. HE MUST HAVE FORGOT THE FIRST TIME WE MET WAS THE SECURITY LAPSE AT SANDY HOOK ELEMENTARY. THE FIRST TIME I EVER BLESSED THE SCHOOL BOARD. BILL WAS THERE AND PATRICK CANAN AND BEVERLY. I WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT THE LACK OF SECURITY AT RB HUNT. AND THEN THEY WENT IN AND THEY PUT A SECURITY SYSTEM IN THAT DIDN'T HAVE BULLETPROOF GLASS. IT WAS THE EXACT SAME SECURITY SYSTEM THAT SANDY HOOK HAD. SURPRISED HE FORGOT THAT.

ANYWAYS, YOU KNOW THE LAST SPEAKER WHO SPOKE, I'M SO GLAD TO HEAR THAT KIM KENDAL IS CONCERNED ABOUT CHILDREN.

I WANT TO REMIND THE SCHOOL BOARD AGAIN, SHE WAS ONE OF THE BIG PEOPLE THAT WAS AGAINST THE HALF CENT SALES TAX. AS YOU BOARD MEMBERS KNOW, IT IS RIGHT HERE AT THIS VERY PLACE.

[01:45:06]

>> IT IS NICE TO KNOW THAT THE PEOPLE CARE ABOUT CHILDREN.

AND ALSO ON THAT SAME NOTE. YOU SHOULD HAVE HUNTER CONRAD AND TELL THEM AGAIN A CHECK WRITTEN RIGHT NOW FOR THIS BUS SCENE. WHAT DID YOU GIVE AWAY YESTERDAY? WHAT DID THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS VOTE FOR? OH, A MILLION DOLLARS CORPORATE COUNTY WELFARE. IT IS TO BUSINESSES.

AND SPEAKING OF THE CORPORATE COUNTY WELFARE, WE HEARD THE CHAIRMAN SAY TODAY RIGHT IN HERE, EVERYBODY WANTS TO COME HERE. THAT'S WHY WE DON'T NEED TO GIVE AWAY ANY CORPORATE COUNTY MONEY.

IF THOSE COMPANIES DON'T WANT TO MOVE HERE TELL THEM TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE BECAUSE WE'RE NUMBER ONE.

EVERY PERSON COMES HERE BOASTS AN BRAGS ABOUT WHAT A WONDERFUL COUNTY WE HAVE AND YET YOU WANT TO GIVE AWAY MONEY. BASIC BANKING, FOLKS.

I WAS EXPLAINING TO MY 13-YEAR-OLD SON WHO IS REALLY DOING LOUSY IN SCHOOL THAT IN ORDER TO WRITE A CHECK OR USE A BANK CARD, I HAVE TO PUT MONEY IN THE BANK.

IT IS THE CRAZIEST CONCEPT. FOR -- SO ALL OF THOSE DEPOSIT SLIPS WE WON'T GET FROM YESTERDAY'S COUNTY CORPORATE WELFARE GIVE AWAY, I SURE HOPE THE COMMISSION STEPS UP AND TAKES CARE OF THIS BUS. AND FINALLY TODAY I WANT TO EXPLAIN SOMETHING TO YOU. I WAS RELIEVED TO HEAR HARDWICK SAY THERE WILL BE A COP AT EVERY SCHOOL BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I AM ALL ABOUT. IF WE WOULD HAVE HAD A COP AT SEBASTIAN MIDDLE SCHOOL WE NEVER WOULD HAVE HAD THAT RACIST INCIDENT WHERE THE YOUNG AFRICAN-AMERICAN WAS STRAPPED DOWN AND ASSAULTED AND BATTERED IN SCHOOL.

>> THANK YOU, SIR. ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS 1 OR 2? THERE IS ONE CALL IN.

GO AHEAD. NAME AND ADDRESS IF YOU ARE CALLING IN, PLEASE. NAME AND ADDRESS.

>> YES, MY NAME IS -- [INAUDIBLE].

I WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO THE BOARD MEMBERS --

>> WE ARE NOT ABLE TO -- I AM NOT ABLE TO HEAR THAT.

CAN ANYONE HEAR THAT? >> NO.

>> IF WE CAN'T FIX THAT SOON -- IS THE CALLER ON THE

PHONE. >> CAN YOU HEAR ME?

>> THAT IS BETTER. NAME AND ADDRESS, SIR.

>> YES. HARRY -- ST. JOHNS FLORIDA.

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE BOARD FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO THE SAINT JOHNS FOREST RESIDENTS.

ABOUT 200 HAVE THE BUS SERVICE CUTOFF.

I WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO MY -- TO THE NOTES THAT MY NEIGHBORS STATED THAT WE WOULD REALLY LIKE FOR YOU TO CONSIDER TO REINSTATE THE BUSES AS IN SOME OF THE PICTURES SHOWN AND THE COMMENTS SHARED THAT IT IS VERY DANGEROUS FOR OUR KIDS TO GO THIS ROUTE. ME EVEN AS A GROWN UP I AVOID IT AS MUCH AS I CAN. I RUN -- I AM A RUNNER AND AT THE SAME TIME THIS IS THE ROAD THAT I WOULD REALLY HATE TO BE AROUND. AND ESPECIALLY SEND MY KIDS -- GO TO SCHOOL ON THE SIDEWALK. I HAVE A SEVEN-YEAR-OLD THAT GOES TO SCHOOL AND I HAVE TO TAKE TIME EVERY DAY IN THE MORNING AND IN THE AFTERNOON TO DRIVE HIM BECAUSE I AM NOT LETTING MY KIDS WALK THAT ROUTE.

NEXT YEAR I AM GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER KID GOING TO LPA AND DEFINITELY IF YOU GUYS ARE NOT CONSIDERED REINSTATING BUSES I AM STILL NOT GOING TO LET THEM WALK THAT ROUTE.

YOU TALK ABOUT CARING ABOUT CHILDREN'S SAFETY AND CHILDREN'S SAFE -- SAFETY IS MOST IMPORTANT, BUT YOUR BOARD DOES NOT SUPPORT YOUR ACTIONS.

IF YOU PLEASE CONSIDER TO REINSTATE THE BUS.

IT WILL NOT COST YOU THAT MUCH.

$16,000 IS NOT THAT MUCH, BUT LOSING A LIFE WOULD HURT NOT JUST OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND

HAVE A GOOD DAY. >> ANY OTHER CALLS?

>> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS CHERYL SLOPES AND I LIVE AT 222 ST. JOHNS FOREST BOULEVARD.

I HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY FOR ABOUT SIX YEARS. I RENTED IN ST. JOHNS FOREST

[01:50:03]

SHE DID START IN KINDERGARTEN AND AT THE TIME SHE DID TAKE A BUS TO AND FROM SCHOOL. I LIVE 1.9 MILES FROM THE TWO-MILE CUTOFF. THE BUS STOP FOR KIDS THAT LIVES TWO MILES IS 100 FEET FROM MY FRONT DOOR.

WE ARE GROWING AT A RAPID PACE.

I HAVE SEEN THE GROWTH AND IT IS CRAZY.

SILVER LEAVE IS THREE PERCENT BUILT OUT.

WE HAVE HAD OTHER COMMENTS AND THE EXPANSION OF 2209 IS NOT IN THE CURRENT -- IT IS NOT WHAT IT IS AT CURRENTLY.

IT IS GOING TO BE AN INTERCHANGE CONNECTOR TO THE HIGHWAY SYSTEM. 9B IS EVENTUALLY GOING TO BECOME AN INTERSTATE. IT IS GOING TO BE RENAMED.

AS OUR KIDS WALK ACROSS THE SIDEWALKS WE HAVE SEEN THE TRAFFIC AND WE HAVE SEEN THE ACCIDENTS.

AND I ACTUALLY AM THE PERSON WHO DID THE PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS WITH THE ST. JOHNS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE FOR THAT CRASH DATA. I JUST GOT THE SPREAD SHEET AND I CAN E-MAIL IT TO THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE COMMISSIONERS. IT HAS CRASHES AND WARNINGS AND CITATIONS AND THIS IS JUST WITHIN A ONE-YEAR TIME -- TIME FRAME. AS THE GROWTH CONTINUES TO GET LARGER AND THE TRAFFIC WILL GET MORE AND MORE CONGESTED, THE NUMBERS ARE GOING TO GO UP.

THE THE SUPERINTENDENT MENTIONED -- IT IS NOT A DIRECT QUOTE, BUT WE DON'T KNOW THE FULL IMPACT UNTIL IT PLAYS OUT. IN AUGUST OF 2018 THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC DATA TO PRESENT TO THE SCHOOL BOARD AT THE TIME THAT HERE IS WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN.

NOW IT IS TWO YEARS LATER AND WE DO HAVE THE DATA.

EVERYBODY IS IN AGREEMENT THAT THIS IS A HAZARDOUS WALKING ROUTE FOR THE KIDS TO SCHOOL. WHETHER IT NEEDS TO BE REINSTATING THE BUS OR WHETHER THIS NEEDS TO BE MAKING THE TRAVEL ROUTE MORE SAFE, WHATEVER THAT MEANS, WE NEED TO FIND THE FUNDS TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

OTHERWISE EVENTUALLY SOMEBODY IS GOING TO PARISH ALONG THAT ROUTE. AND IT IS NOT GOING TO BE MY DAUGHTER. I IMPLORE THE SCHOOL COMMISSION AND THE BOARD TO WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE IT SAFE NOT JUST FOR MY DAUGHTER, BUT FOR FUTURE DAUGHTERS AND SONS WHO ARE GOING ALONG THIS ROUTE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >> THANK YOU, MA'AM.

I SEE ANOTHER CALLER. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE.

NAME AND ADDRESS. >> HI, MY NAME IS --

>> GO AHEAD. >> HI, MY NAME IS RACHEL FREEDER AT 240 ST. JOHNS FOREST BOULEVARD IN BEAUTIFUL ST. JOHNS FOREST. MY HUSBAND AND I BOTH WORK OUTSIDE THE HOME. MYSELF AS A PROFESSOR OF MANAGEMENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH FLORIDA.

MY HUSBAND AS A BUSINESS OWNER AND CYBER SECURITY CONSULT AT THE PRESENT TIME FOR THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT -- CONSULTANT FOR THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.

WE WORK OUTSIDE THE HOME SO WHEN OUR FOUR-YEAR-OLD TWINS GO TO LPA NEXT YEAR THE OPTIONS WILL BE TO SEND THEM ALONG A VERY DANGEROUS PATH OR HOPEFULLY THE BUS.

NOW, I DON'T THINK THERE IS ANY OTHER OPTION AT THIS POINT.

YOU HAVE HEARD ALL OF THE DATA FROM THE OTHER CONCERNED PARENTS. YOU HEARD THE SHERIFF SUGGEST WE TAKE A PRO ACTIVE AND NOT REACTIVE STRATEGY.

OUR RESPONSE TO SCHOOL SAFETY FOLLOWING PARKLAND WAS REACTIVE. CHILDREN HAD TO DIE BEFORE PEOPLE STARTED GETTING SERIOUS ABOUT AN IN -- INGRESS AND EGRESS PATH IN AND OUT OF SCHOOL.

DOES A CHILD HAVE TO DIE ON 2209 AND 9B BEFORE YOU REINSTATE THIS BUS? IT MAY SOUND LIKE AN EXAGGERATION, BUT MY TWINS, JACOB AND SHELBY, ARE BONDED.

THEY RIDE SIDE BY SIDE WHEREVER THEY GO.

MY NEIGHBORS CAN ATTEST TO THIS.

THEY WILL SEE THEM SIDE BY SIDE IN THEIR HOT WHEELS OR SIDE BY SIDE ON A BICYCLE. THAT MEANS ONE PERSON WHO IS DISTRACTED HITS THE CURB AND POPS THE CURB GOING 55 MILES AN HOUR AND KILLS BOTH OF MY CHILDREN.

SO DOES IT MATTER IF WE HAVE SAFE SCHOOL ENTRANCES AND EXITS IF OUR CHILDREN DIE BEFORE THEY EVEN GOT THERE? TRAFFIC IS ONLY GETTING WORSE AS PEOPLE RETURN TO WORK FOLLOWING COVID. SILVER LEAF IS ONLY 3% BUILT.

THE TRAFFIC IS ONLY GETTING WORSE.

IT IS TIME TO BE PRO ACTIVE AND NOT REACTIVE.

[01:55:01]

LIVES. >> THANK YOU, MA'AM.

I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER CALLS. THERE ARE NO MORE CALLS.

ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT FROM TH AUDIENCE? MR. CHAIRMAN I THINK THAT COMPLETES PUBLIC COMMENT.

>> THANK YOU, MR. VICE CHAIR. LET'S TURN IT BACK TO THE

COLLECTIVE BOARDS. >> HAVE I A COMMENT.

MAY I? >> PLEASE, COMMISSIONER DEAN.

>> IF I MA I, THIS JOINT -- IF I MAY, THIS JOINT MEETING I DON'T THINK CONTEMPLATED ACTING ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA. HAVING SAID THAT I WANT TO SHARE MY THOUGHTS IN A POSSIBLE DIRECTION TO GO ON THIS ITEM. SEVERAL OF THE PARENTS SPOKE TO ME EARLIER THIS WEEK. I DON'T KNOW IF IT IS COINCIDENTAL OR IT WAS A JOINT MEETING OR IT CAME UP WHEN IT DID. I THINK WE CAN TITLE THIS A TALE OF UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.

I DON'T THINK THAT OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT WAS NECESSARILY GUILTY OF BAD PLANNING.

I THINK THIS WAS UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.

WHEN 9B WAS CONSTRUCTED AND WHEN THE REQUIREMENT TO PLACE THE SIDEWALK TRIGGERED FOR ME SORT OF AN UNKNOWN STATE REGULATION THAT ONCE THE SIDEWALK WAS IN AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THE SCHOOL BOARD WAS UNDER ORDER FROM TALLAHASSEE TO DROP THAT BUS SERVICE.

I THINK IT IS AN UNFORTUNATE CONSEQUENCE.

THAT'S MY POSITION. HAVING SAID THAT, AS ONE COUNTY COMMISSIONER, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS FIGURE OUT A WAY TO PROTECT THESE CHILDREN.

MY RECOMMENDATION AND WE CAN AGENDA THIS FOR A FUTURE MEETING OR WHATEVER. MY RECOMMENDATION IS I AM COMFORTABLE WITH THE COUNTY COMMISSION PROVIDING FUNDS IF IT IS ONLY $16,000 A YEAR TO PROVIDE BUS SERVICE FOR THESE CHILDREN THAT ARE REALLY VICTIMS OF UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES IN MY OPINION. IF I AM WRONG,I WOULD LIKE SOMEONE TO EXPLAIN IT AS FAR AS WHAT I SAID IS A CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS WE ARE DEALING WITH.

MY POSITION AND I AM CERTAINLY NOT IN A POSITION TO SECOND GUESS THE SCHOOL BOARD. I AM NOT SUGGESTING THAT.

I KNOW YOU ALL OPERATE UNDER STATE REGULATIONS THAT I THINK TRIGGERED THIS SORT OF CONUNDRUM.

I AS A COMMISSIONER WANT TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS I SEE AS SAFETY FOR THESE CHILDREN. MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT WE PAY WHAT WOULD BE A RELATIVELY NOMINAL EXPENSE TO PROVIDE A BUS SERVICE FOR THESE CHILDREN.

THAT'S THE POINT OF DISCUSSION LET'S SAY.

>> UNDERSTOOD. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER DEAN.

YES, GO AHEAD. >> -- MR. WHITEHURST.

>> FORGIVE ME FOR INTERRUPTING.

I MEANT IT WHEN I SAID I WOULDN'T FEEL COME -- COMFORTABLE WITH MY DAUGHTERS TRAVERSING THIS PATH TO SCHOOL. THEY ELUDED TO IT EARLIER.

I AM NOT INTERESTED IN ASSIGNING BLAME AT ALL.

I ADMIRE AND RESPECT YOU AND I KNOW IT IS A COMPLEX ISSUE AND WE FIND OURSELVES DEALING WITH UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.

BUT WHAT I AM INTERESTED IN IS FINDING A SOLUTION.

I THINK WE CAN ALL HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS AND WHAT REAL WORLD SOLUTIONS MIGHT LOOK LIKE AND HOW WE FUND THOSE. I THINK HAVING DISCUSSIONS

WOULD BE PRODUCTIVE. >> MY INTENT AS INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONERS, I WANT TO SUPPORT MY COUNTERPART ON THE SCHOOL BOARD. NO ONE WANTS A CHILD TO LOSE THEIR LIFE BECAUSE OF A BUREAUCRATIC CHALLENGE.

THERE IS A FRAMEWORK WE CAN OPERATE WITHIN.

I WANT TO UNDERSTAND AND THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO COME HERE TODAY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ISSUES Y'ALL ARE STRUGGLING WITH AND HOW WE CAN ASSIST. AND I WANT TO BETTER EDUCATE MYSELF. I AM A PARENT AND I HAVE CHILDREN. I WANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN SUPPORT Y'ALL AND DO THAT WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK AND MAKE SU ONE -- NO CHILD IS EVER INJURED.

I WANT TO PUT THAT OUT THERE. I THINK I CAN SPEAK FOR THE BOARD COLLECTIVELY AND WE ARE ALL PARENTS AND NO ONE WANTS TO SEE A CHILD INJURED. WHAT I WANT TO UNDERSTAND FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD IS WHAT CAN WE DO TO ASSIST AND WHAT IS THE FRAMEWORK FOR THAT? HOW CAN WE DO THAT?

I WILL LISTEN AT THIS POINT. >> IT IS A COMPLICATED ISSUE

[02:00:01]

I HADN'T SHOT ABOUT THISH -- THOUGHT ABOUT THE ISSUE.

I HADN'T FOCUSED ON IT SINCE IT WENT THROUGH A YEAR AND A HALF AGO. THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION AT THE BOARD LEVEL. THE ISSUE IF MY MEMORY SERVES WERE LITIGATED. THAT IS RELATED TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S OBLIGATIONS AND SOME OF OUR LIMITATIONS.

I THINK I PROBABLY SAID TO MS. KENDAL THE OTHER DAY -- AND I SAID IT ALL ALONG THAT I TOTALLY AGREE THAT THAT IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION AND I WOULDN'T WANT MY CHILD WALKING ON THAT COOER DOOR. I GET IT.

I HATE TO USE THE WORD BUT AND I DON'T MEAN TO SOUND CALLUS, BUT I WOULD BE HAPPY TO TALK ON A STAFF LEVEL OR HERE TODAY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM BECAUSE I ALSO AGREE WITH THE PROBLEM SHOULD BE SOLVED, BUT I WANT YOU TO REALIZE THAT WE ARE DEALING WITH GROWTH AND WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO GET A REALLY GOOD SCHOOL BUILT AND REALLY GOOD TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS AND AN AGENDA AND ACADEMIC STANDARDS.

WE ARE NOT IN THE BUSINESS OF DECIDING WHEN IT IS SAFE TO GET FROM THE HOUSE TO THE SCHOOL.

WHEN WE BUILT THE SCHOOLS AND REALLY IT IS OUT OF OUR HANDS. TO ME THE STAFF LEVEL IS FIGURING OUT A WAY. I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR THE REST OF THE BOARD, BUT I DOUBT -- I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE $16,000 FIGURE CAME FROM, BUT I WOULD BE SHOCKED IF THAT IS ACCURATE. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT IS THE WAY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM, BUT I THINK WE ARE ALL IN AGREEMENT THAT THE PROBLEM SHOULD BE SOLVED SOMEHOW.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO -- I DON'T WANT TO BE JUST BE VAGUE AND LET'S GO ON TO THE NEXT SUBJECT.

IT IS NOT ON THE AGENDA AND IT IS A PIECE OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND I UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE TALKIG ABOUT IT TODAY, BUT I DON'T THINK EITHER BOARD IS PREPARED TO TRY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM TODAY. BUT IF WE MAKE AN EFFORT TO TALK FURTHER, MAYBE HAVE ANOTHER MEETING AND MAYBE PUT THE STAFFS TOGETHER, I FEEL LIKE THIS PROBLEM CAN BE

SOLVED. >> SURE.

CAN I MAKE A PROPOSAL, MR. CHAIRMAN? MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE IF THERE IS CONSENSUS FROM THE COMMISSION IS THAT WE DIRECT MR. COMRADE AND MR. FORMAN, I THINK THERE ARE LEGAL AS FAR AS FUNDING GOES IF I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY THERE ARE SOURCES AND THERE ARE SOME SPECIFICS UNDER STATUTE OUT HOW THE FUNDING HAS TO BE SPENT. MY RECOMMENDATION IS IF THERE IS CONSENSUS FROM THE COMMISSION WE ASK TO WORK WITH OUR COUNTER PARTS AT THE STAFF.

WE ALL WANT A SOLUTION TO THIS.

I DON'T KNOW THAT TODAY -- WE HAVE OTHER TOPICS THAT ARE ALSO IMPORTANT AND MANY OTHER THINGS WE NEED TO GET THROUGH TODAY. BUT TO DIRECT OUR STAFF TO WORK TOGETHER AND PRESENT TO OUR -- EITHER ANOTHER COLLECTIVE MEETING AND SEPARATELY SOME OTHER ACTION.

>> I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO PIGGYBACK ON TO MR. CANAN'S COMMENTS. THERE HAVE BEEN COLLECTIVE MEETINGS IN THE PAST, OTHER SOLUTIONS HAVE BEEN PROPOSED INCLUDING A SIDEWALK PATH TO THE BACK PART OF THE SCHOOL FROM THE COMMUNITY. AS MS. KENDAL BROUGHT UP TO ME IN MY PHONE CALL WITH HER ON MONDAY, HER CONCERN WAS ALSO THE OTHERS ON THE ROADWAY AS IT IS NOT JUST THE CHILDREN.

ANOTHER CALLER DIDN'T WANT TO RUN ON THE ROADWAY.

I THINK A LOT OF THAT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED, AND PUT FORTH.

I THINK THAT AT THIS POINT IF YOU WANT TO REVISIT SOME OF THOSE, BUT OUR UNDERSTANDING IS SEVERAL MEETINGS HAVE TAKEN PLACE WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND STAKEHOLDERS ON THIS.

>> COMMISSIONER WHITEHURST, IT IS YOUR DISTRICT SO DO YOU

HAVE ANY SPECIFIC THOUGHTS? >> I HAVE HEARD A NUMBER OF SOLUTIONS PROPOSED AND SOME MORE EXPENSIVE THAN OTHERS.

SOME ARE MORE FINANCIALLY FEASIBLE THAN OTHERS.

I AM INTERESTED IN FURTHERING THE CONVERSATION.

I REALIZE I AM NEW TO THE COUNTY COMMISSION AND I REALIZE THE BOARD HAS DONE ITS DUE DILIGENCE.

IT HAS BEEN AN ON GOING DISCUSSION.

I AM INTERESTED IN HAVING THE DISCUSSION WITH THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. PERHAPS IF THE SCHOOL BOARD IS NOT WITHIN THEIR PER -- PER VIEW TO SOLVE THIS ISSUE OR IF THEY CAN'T THLG -- THEN PERHAPS WE CAN FIND A

[02:05:04]

RESOLUTION. >> SO IN INTEREST OF MOVING ON IS THERE CONSENSUS FROM THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS DIRECTING MR. COMRADE AND MR. MCCORMICK TO WORK WITH THE COUNTERPARTS -- I AM NOT SURE HOW TO FRAME.

IT WORK ON A SOLUTION. I DO THINK THERE ARE ASPECT THAT'S INVOLVE THE SCHOOL BOARD SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN UNILATERALLY MAKE A DECISION WITHOUT YOUR INPUT.

COMMISSIONER SMITH? >> YEAH.

EVEN THE MERE DISCUSSION CONJURES A LOT OF QUESTIONS IN MY MIND AND THE HISTORY OF IT. I AM NOT PRIVY TO IT AND I DON'T KNOW THE LITIGATION SIDE OF IT AND I DON'T KNOW THE OPTIONS PRESENTED. IN FACT I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS FOR OUR OWN STAFF IN REGARD OF THE FUTURE OF THE 2209 AND WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH THE SIDEWALK, ET CETERA.

THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS I HAVE QUESTIONS THAT BEFORE THAT DISCUSSION OCCURS WE NEED A SOLID BACKGROUND TO MAKE A GOOD, SOLID DECISION AND A GOOD, SOLID SOLUTION OR WE WILL HAVE MORE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.

I THINK OUR BOARD AND I AM TOTALLY CONCUR, BUT WE NEED A GOOD, SOLID BACKGROUND AND THEN WE WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH MAKING DISCUSSION AND COMING UP WITH SOLUTIONS.

I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT SOME OF THE OPTIONS WERE THAT WERE PRESENTED AND THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THEM, ET CETERA. I THINK IT IS VERY -- THAT'S JUST GOOD PRUDENCE ON OUR PART.

>> I AGREE. THANK YOU.

AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THERE HAS BEEN SOME LITIGATION.

I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND THAT A LITTLE MORE.

IS THERE MORE CONSENSUS, COMMISSIONER SMITH, MR. DEAN, MR. WHITEHURST AND MR. WALDRON?

>> WE NEED A LOT MORE INFORMATION TO MAKE A DECISION.

WHAT IMPACT FEES ARE THEY PAYING AND STATE STATUTE OUT.

IS THAT WITHIN TWO MILES AND THEN THEY CAN CANCEL BUSING OR PAY IT ON THEIR OWN? THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO KNOW.

JUST A LOT OF ANSWERS WE NEED BEFORE WE CAN PROCEED.

>> MR. CONRAD, DO YOU HAVE ANY INPUT, OR IS THERE A

DIRECTION? >> I THINK ARE YOU CLEAR ON YOUR DIRECTION. I WILL WORK WITH MR. MCCORMICK AND STAFF TO GET A BACKGROUND AND A HISTORY OF LITIGATION WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD.

I THINK THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS BEEN FAIRLY CLEAR ON THEIR PERSPECTIVE AND WHERE THEY STAND AND THE LIMITATIONS THEY HAVE AND THAT THEY HAVE VETTED THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS. BUT INDEPENDENTLY FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD YOUR STAFF CAN WORK TOGETHER TO SEE WHAT OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE, IF ANY, FROM EITHER FUNDING OR FROM ANY OTHER ALTERNATIVES. I KNOW THAT WITH COMMISSIONER WALDRON AND COMMISSIONER SMITH REFERENCING, WE WILL PROVIDE A BACKGROUND OVER THE NEXT 30 TO 45 DAYS OR SO.

WE WILL LOOK AT DOING A WHITE PAPER FIRST AND PRESENTING IT TO YOU ALL. AND WE WILL BRING IT FORWARD AS TO HOW YOU WOULD LIKE TO PROCEED.

WE WILL WORK THE NEXT MONTH OR TWO TO GET A BACKGROUND AND GIVE YOU THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON WHERE IT IS TO DATE AND WHAT IS YOUR LEFT AND RIGHT AND WHAT YOU ARE ABLE TO

DO AND UNABLE TO DO. >> MR. MCCORMICK?

>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. JUST TO BE CLEAR THE LITIGATION MENTIONED THE SAINT JOHNS COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WAS NOT A PARTY TO THAT.

I SIMPLY REVIEWED THAT MATTER. IT WAS A 2018 FILING TO THE BASICALLY ADMINISTRATIVE LAW PROCESS.

THERE MAY HAVE BEEN -- THAT WAS BASED ON FACTS AT THE TIME. THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SOME FACT THAT'S HAVE CHANGED SINCE THAT TIME.

SO I WILL REVIEW THAT WITH OUR COUNTERPARTS HERE.

I DID WANT TO MENTION JUST TO MENTION THAT THERE ARE SOME RESTRAINTS WITH ONE TEXTING -- TAXING AUTHORITY WITH ANOTHER TAXING AUTHORITY. I AM NOT SAYING IT CANNOT BE DONE, BUT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT AND SEE WHAT CON STRAIPTS THERE ARE. CONSTRAINTS THERE ARE.

THANK YOU. >> IS THERE ANYTHING FURTHER?

YES. >> I WOULD REALLY SUPPORT YOUR INITIAL OFFER FOR THE TWO STAFFS TO WORK TOGETHER.

AS I SAID A LONGTIME AGO IN THIS MEETING COMMUNICATION AND PLANNING ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS IN OUR COUNTY.

COMMUNICATION IS PARAMOUNT. I APPRECIATE IT NOT BE A UNILATERAL THING WITH THE COUNTY, BUT A COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT AND A COOPERATIVE SEEKING OF SOLUTIONS BY BOTH

STAFFS. >> THANK YOU.

AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE SUPPORTING AND WORKING TOGETHER. I WANT TO THANK THE PARENTS FOR COMING. I KNOW THIS IS EMOTIONAL AND

[3. Redistricting ]

IN THE INTEREST OF TIME WE WANT TO GET BACK ON SCHEDULE BECAUSE THERE ARE OTHER MATTERS WE NEED TO ADDRESS AND WE HAVE SOME SPEAKERS HERE. WE WILL MOVE INTO

REDISTRICTING. >> THANK YOU.

MR. CHAIR, I AM GOING TO INTRODUCE THIS ITEM AND THEN YOU HAVE THE BEST SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS IN THE STATE, MS. VICKY OAKES AND SHE CAN ADDRESS YOU ON THE PARTICULARS. LET'S GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

[02:10:01]

IMPLEMENTING EQUIVALENT DISTRICTS.

EACH OF YOUR DISTRICTS, ONE, TWO, THREE, ALL THE WAY THROUGH FIVE ARE THE SAME. LEGALLY THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE, BUT PAST BOARDS AND THE SCHOOL BOARDS HAVE FOUND A LOT OF BENEFITS TO DOING THAT. I THINK ALSO FOR THE SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS WE WILL DESCRIBE SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF THAT FOR HER PERSPECTIVE.

THE BASIC TIMELINE, THE 2020 CENSUS, I THINK THE NUMBERS FROM THAT ARE STILL BEING COMPLIED.

I THINK MS. OAKES WILL HAVE SOME MORE DETAIL ON THAT.

FROM THE FLORIDA CONSTITUTION, AFTER EACH CENSUS THEY SHALL DIVIDE THE COUNTY TO DISTRICTS OF CONTIGUOUS TERRITORY AS NEARLY EQUAL IN POPULATION AS PRACTICABLE AND WE WILL TALK A LITTLE ABOUT THAT. IN OTHER WORDS, AFTER THE 2000 AND 2001 THERE WAS A REDISTRICTING AFTER 2010 AND THERE WAS A 2011 REDISTRICTING. AND IN FACT, I BELIEVE THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER SLOW AND THEY WERE PARTICIPANTS IN THAT.

AS FAR AS I THINK FOR THE 10 OF YOU, I THINK THOSE TWO, RIGHT, HAD BEEN THERE AND OF COURSE THE COUNCIL AND THE SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS. AT THE END OF THE DAY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS THIS CALENDAR YEAR WILL NEED TO ADOPT A REDISTRICTING MAP AND THE SCHOOL BOARD AS I UNDERSTAND IT WILL BE HAVING TO ADOPT AND AGAIN IN THE PAST THAT HAS BEEN DONE TOGETHER. THE OTHER THING IS DEVELOPING THE REDISTRICTING. THE LAST PLAN ADOPTED I THINK WAS PLAN J AND IT WENT THROUGH SOME DIFFERENT OPTIONS AND FINALLY GOT THERE. IN TERMS OF COST SHARINGS AND IF A CONSULTANT IS USED AND THAT TYPE OF THING.

AGAIN, IN THE PAST, THE COUNTY AND THE SCHOOL BOARD HAVE SHARED THE COST FOR COST EFFICIENCY.

WITH THAT VERY BRIEF INTRODUCTION, IF YOUR ESTEEMED SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS WILL APPROACH AND BRIEF YOU ON

THAT. >> GOOD MORNING.

>> GOOD MORNING. >> THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. EVERY 10 YEARS WHEN THE CENSUS HAPPENS IT IS THE INTENTION OF THE ONE PERSON AND ONE VOTE ESPECIALLY BEGINNING AT THE CONGRESSIONAL LEVEL.

OUR APPORTION MEANT HAS YET TO COME FROM OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THAT WILL BE COMING VERY SHORTLY.

WE WILL HAVE SOME IDEA OF THE NUMBER OF REPRESENTATIVES IN CONGRESS THAT FLORIDA WILL HAVE.

ONCE THE INFORMATION IS PUSHED DOWN TO THE STATE.

THE FLORIDA SENATE AND THE FLORIDA HOUSE AND LOCALLY AND OUR COUNTY COMMISSION AND OUR SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT.

INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH WITH OUR CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS IT IS ONE VOTER. WHERE WE ARE HEADED WITH THIS IS THE 2022 ELECTIONS. WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS NEW LINES PLACED AHEAD OF OUR CANDIDATE QUALIFYING WHICH HAPPENS IN JUNE OF 2022. BECAUSE OF COVID IT HAS CHANGED ALL OF OUR LIVES INCLUDING THE U.S. CENSUS.

THERE ARE DELAYS IN THE STATUS OF THE COUNTIES.

-TO-BE -- IT IS EARLY AUGUST. NORMALLY WE RECEIVE THE INFORMATION IN MARCH. IT PUSHES OUR TIMELINE BACK.

IT REALLY NARROWS THE WINDOW FOR REDRAWING THE DISTRICT

[02:15:06]

WHY ME? WHY THE SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS? WELL, THIS WILL BE MY FOURTH TIME. OUR OFFICE PARTICIPATED IN THE REDISTRICTING. WE WORKED AS ALY -- AS ALY -- AS A LIAISON BETWEEN THE TWO BOARDS WITH A SIMPLE REQUEST.

PLEASE WORK TOGETHER EVEN THOUGH STATUTE EARLY TO -- STATITORILY YOU HAVE THE OPTION TO DRAW YOUR OWN LINES. WHAT YOU DID IN THE PAST WAS HIRE A CONSULTANT TO HIRE THE PROCESS OF REDRAWING THE MAPS. HOLDING PUBLIC HEARINGS AND RECEIVING INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC AND COMING TO A CONSENSUS ON A MAP THAT WILL SERVE BOTH BOARDS.

IN 2011 WE WENT THROUGH 15 DIFFERENT MAPS BEFORE THE BOARD CAME TO A CONSENSUS. WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT? IT IS IMPORTANT FOR OUR VOTERS.

OUR VOTERS GET VERY CONFUSED WITH ALL OF THE DISTRICT LINES. THERE ARE NOT ONLY COUNTY COMMISSIONS, BUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD LINES.

AND THERE ARE CONGRESSIONAL AND SENATE AND HOUSE.

WE HAVE SPECIAL DISTRICTS. WE HAVE MUNICIPALITIES AND WE HAVE MORE AND MORE EVERY YEAR.

THEY ARE COMING ONLINE AND IT IS OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS THAT ADDS MORE LINES ON THE MAP AND THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS IS COMPLETE THEN OUR VOTER SYSTEM AND THE TABULATION SYSTEM AT THE ELECTIONS OFFICE HAS TO BE COMPLETELY REDONE FROM THE GROUND UP SO THAT CANDIDATES WILL KNOW WHICH OFFICE THEY WILL BE QUALIFIED FOR AND WHAT THEIR CORRECT DISTRICTS WILL BE.

IT IS LESS CONFUSING TO HAVE LESS DISTRICT LINES.

IN THE 90S ST. JOHNS COUNTY HAD TWO CONGRESSIONAL AND THREE FLORIDA HOUSE AND THREE FLORIDA SENATE LINES.

WE WERE ALL CAUGHT UP. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE UNTIL THE PROCESS HAS BEEN COMPLETE.

SO JUST TO GIVE YOU A VISUAL THE MAP ON MY LEFT WAS THE MAP OF THE COUNTY COMMISSION SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICTS IN 2010 PRIOR TO THE REDISTRICTING THE MAP TO THE RIGHT YOU ARE ALL FAMILIAR WITH BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE CURRENT DISTRICT LINES. YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE IS A LOT OF SIMILARITIES, BUT THERE IS QUITE A BIT OF DIFFERENCE.

AND WHAT IT IS BASED ON IS THE GROWTH AND THE DISTRICTS MUST BE REDRAWN BASED ON POPULATION.

JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME NUMBERS. IN 2010 OUR POPULATION IN ST.

JOHNS COUNTY WAS 190,000 ON APRIL 1ST.

ON APRIL 1ST WE HAD 136,000 REGISTERED VOTERS IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY AND YOU CAN SEE HOW THE REGISTERED VOTERS IN DISTRICTS WHO CORRELATE JUST A LITTLE BIT, BUT THAT WAS 10 YEARS AGO. WELL, IT IS 11 NOW.

I PULLED SOME REGISTRATION FIGURES JUST ON MONDAY AND AS YOU CAN SEE THE REGISTRATION FIGURES ARE VERY DIFFERENT AND WE WILL HAVE WORK TO DO AND THERE IS GOING TO BE CHANGES AHEAD. SO CAN WE BACK UP TO THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, PLEASE. SO MY REQUEST TO BOTH BOARDS WOULD BE SINCE YOU HAVE HAD DISTRICTS FOR AT LEAST THE LAST 40 YEARS THAT I COULD SUBSTANTIATE AND PUT MY HANDS ON MAPS, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU TO WORK TOGETHER TO CONTINUE TO SHARE THE SAME COUNTY COMMISSION AND THE

[02:20:01]

SO WE WOULD STILL HAVE TIME TO DO THAT AND THE COUNTY COMMISSION AND THE SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICTS MAY ONLY BE DRAWN IN ODD-NUMBERED YEARS. IF IT IS NOT DONE AND COMPLETED THIS YEAR, WOULD YOU HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL 2023 TO CONSIDER IT ONCE AGAIN. SO WITH THAT I WOULD BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.

>> THANK YOU. ANY DISCUSSION?

>> I WILL ASK A QUESTION. YOU MENTIONED THE DEADLINE HAS MOVED TO POSSIBLY AUGUST. HOW WILL THAT IMPACT, I GUESS, -- WHAT IMPACT WOULD THAT HAVE IN THIS BEING DELAYED TO 2023, THE NEXT ODD YEAR? IS THERE ANY CONCERN THAT'S WE WOULD GET THE DATA SO LATE THAT IT IS DIFFICULT TO

CONDUCT THIS PROCESS? >> I THINK WE COULD STILL DO IT IF YOU TAKE SOME STEPS IN ADVANCE AND GO OUT ON A CONSULTANT BID AND THEN THE PRELIMINARY WORK IS DONE AND IN PLACE SO THAT WHEN WE RECEIVE THOSE FIGURES YOU CAN MOVE ON THEM AND STILL BEGIN THE PROCESS OF THE ACTUAL PUBLIC HEARINGS THAT HAVE TO BE HELD AND THE PUBLIC INPUT AND THE DISCUSSION BETWEEN THE TWO BOARDS AND GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS. I THINK IT COULD STILL BE DONE BASED ON HOW LATE WE GET THE DATA.

>> AND IF I COULD, MR. CHAIR. I DID REVIEW THE FILE AND THE TIME FRAME. THE HEAVY LIFTING WAS DONE IN THE SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER TIME FRAME EVEN IN THAT YEAR.

BUT FOR TODAY IT IS JUST SORT OF PUTTING THIS THING OUT ON THE RADAR FOR THE TWO BOARDS AND JUST TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THIS PROCESS WILL BE UNFOLDING. AND FOR THE REASONS THE SUPERVISOR MENTIONED THROUGH TRADITION, THE BOWED -- THE BOARD MEMBERS MAY WISH TO COMMENT ON THAT TODAY.

I DON'T KNOW THAT ANY RIGHT VOTE OR DIRECTION HAS TO BE GIVEN. UNLESS I HEAR OTHERWISE, THEN I WOULD SORT OF TAKE THE STARTING POSITION THAT IT WOULD SORT OF BE DONE TOGETHER AND WE WILL REACH OUT AND TRY TO DRAFT UP HOW TO FIND A CONGRESS RESULT -- A CONSULTANT AND WHATNOT AND THAT WOULD BE ON APPROVAL BY

BOTH BOARDS. >> THANK YOU.

>> JUST A POINT OF CLARIFICATION.

IN 2010, WAS IT A CONSULTANT FOR EACH BOARD OR WAS THERE -- OR WAS IT ONE CONSULTANT FOR BOTH BOARDS ?

>> IT WAS ONE CONSULTANT. ACTUALLY THE COST AS ONE CONSULTANT, DREW THE MAPS AND HANDLED THE PRESENTATIONS.

IT WAS MR. JOHN LIBBY FROM AMERICAN PUBLIC DIALOGUE AND HE HANDLED THE -- HANDLED IT THE LAST THREE TIMES.

HE IS WORKING FOR THE CITY OF JACKSONVILLE NOW SO HE IS NOT

ELIGIBLE TO DO THAT ANYMORE. >> JUST TO HAVE SOME DIRECTION I THINK IT IS GOOD FOR OUR BOARD TO PUT THIS ON OUR NEXT WORKSHOP AGENDA AND WE WILL DISCUSS IT.

I FEEL CONFIDENT THAT WE WILL ALL WANT TO WORK TOGETHER AND TO HIRE ONE CONSULTANT INSTEAD OF THE EXPENSE OF TWO.

LET US DISCUSS THAT AND THEN THE STAFF WILL COMMUNICATE

WITH EACH OTHER. >> THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION AS WELL IS THAT WE WILL PUT THIS ON A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM. HOPEFULLY MAYBE IN MARCH.

WE WILL HAVE MR. CONRAD WORK WITH HIS COUNTERPARTS AND MR. MCCORMICK WORK WITH HIS COUNTERPARTS AND WE WILL GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS WITH THE GOAL BEING TO WORK IN CONCERT AND COLLABORATING ON THIS. THANK YOU, MRS. OAKES TO TAKE

[4. Internet Connectivity in the Outlying Areas of St. Johns County]

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS.

IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION?

>> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.

>> WE WILL MOVE ON TO NUMBER FOUR.

IT IS THE INTERNET CONNECTIVE TEE -- CONNECTIVE TEE IN THE OUT LYING AREA OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY.

>> DO WE HAVE A PRESENTER? >> IT IS JUST GENERAL BOARD

[02:25:02]

DISCUSSION. >> I WAS THE ONE WHO BROUGHT THE ITEM TO OUR AGENDA. THE REASON FOR THAT IS WITH THE ADVENT OF COVID AND MOVING TO A SPECIAL LAST MARCH WHERE WE MOVED TO COMPLETELY ONLINE INSTRUCTION WE RAN INTO A LOT OF DIFFICULTY IN THE SOUTHWEST PART OF OUR COUNTY GETTING CONNECTIVITY FOR OUR STUDENTS.

MANY OF THEM WERE RELYING ON CELL PHONES TO TYPE THEIR PAPERS AND SOMEHOW GET THEM TRANSMITTED.

OTHERS WERE GOING AND SITTING OUTSIDE THE HASTINGS LIBRARY IN ORDER TO TRY TO GET SOME KIND OF A CONNECTIVITY.

I KNOW THAT YOU ARE THE BENEFICIARIES OF SOME CARES DOLLARS. I THINK THAT YOU LOOKED AT THE POSSIBILITY OF TRYING TO INCREASE THE ACTUAL AVAILABILITY OF CONNECTIVITY IN THOSE AREAS.

I DIDN'T KNOW WHERE WE WERE IN THE PROCESS.

I DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WERE OPPORTUNITIES TO EXTEND THAT PROCESS FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY IN THE

SOUTHWEST PART OF THE COUNTY. >> ABSOLUTELY.

I WILL TURN IT BACK. DO WE HAVE STAFF HERE TODAY

THAT CAN ADDRESS THAT? >> MR. CHAIRMAN, I KNOW MS. ANDREWS WAS WORKING ON IT AND I DON'T KNOW IF SHE IS STILL DOWN HERE. I WILL CHECK BACK AND -- CHECK WITH HER. THERE WERE SOME DOLLARS TO INCREASING CONNECTIVITY. I DON'T KNOW HOW FAR THAT WENT IN THE PROCESS RELATED TO AN OVER ALL COUNTY PLAN FOR BROADBAND EXPANSION. BUT THERE WAS SOME PROCESSING STEPS THAT WERE BEING MADE. I WILL REACH OUT TO HER AND

MR. TEBOLD. >> I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THIS UP. I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THOSE ALMOST OVERLOOKED CONSEQUENCES OF COVID.

WE ARE SO FOCUSED ON SCHOOL SAFETY AND KEEPING THE ECONOMY GOING AND PROTECTING AND MAKING SURE PEOPLE ARE VACCINATED. SOMETIMES WE FORGET THAT YOU HAVE CHILDREN RELYING ON THIS TO FUNCTION.

IT IS IMPORTANT WE HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING.

>> THANK YOU. BECAUSE WE ACTUALLY PROVIDED HOTSPOTS FOR OUR KIDS, BUT THERE WASN'T ENOUGH CONNECTIVE -- CONNECTIVITY FOR THEIR HOTSPOTS TO WORK IN PLACES LIKE FLAGLER STATES AND CLOSER TO HASTINGS.

IT IS A REAL PROBLEM FOR OUR STUDENTS.

>> DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY THOUGHTS OR COMMENTS? I THINK WE ARE WAITING ON MS. ANDREWS.

WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IF I CAN DIRECT THIS TO THE COUNTY COMMISSION, I WOULD LIKE TO MAYBE HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHEFER -- WHERE WE ARE WITH THE CONNECTIVITY GOING FORWARD. DOES THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAVE ANY OVER LAY OR IDENTIFYING THE NODES OR WHERE THE

HOTSPOTS ARE? >> WE DID HAVE THAT.

I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE IT WITH US.

THEY SHOWED ME YESTERDAY THE LACK OF CONNECTIVITY AND -- BY ALL PROVIDERS IN THE AREAS. IT IS BASICALLY NONEXISTENT.

>> DO YOU HAVE STAFF HERE THAT CAN ADDRESS THAT?

>> IS BRUCE HERE? IF YOU DON'T MIND STEPPING FORWARD? JUST SO YOU KNOW HOW IT PLAYED OUT AND WHY DID IT COME TO THE SURFACE IS WHEN WE WENT TO THE DISTANCE LEARNING LAST SPRING AND ALL STUDENTS WERE AT HOME WHAT HAPPENED IS SOME STUDENTS AT HOME OBVIOUSLY WE GAVE THEM LAPTOPS, BUT THEY TRANSMIT ANYTHING AND YOU COULDN'T RECEIVE ANYTHING. WE REACHED OUT TO MULTIPLE PROVIDERS AND OUR I.T. CHIEF ACTUALLY WENT -- HE WENT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND WITH THOSE HOTSPOTS TO TRY TO SEE WHERE IT WHAT IS WORKING AND WHERE IT WAS NOT.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT IS GEOGRAPHICALLY CLEAR, BUT HE HAS AN IDEA WHERE THE WEAKEST POINTS ARE IN THE COUNTY.

>> THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.

WE DID HAVE DIFFICULTY -- I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN SHOW THE PICTURE OR NOT, BUT FLAGLER AND HASTINGS ARE THE TWO HARDEST TOWNS TO REACH. WE STARTED OUT WITH THE T-MOBILE HOTSPOTS. THOSE DIDN'T REALLY WORK VERY EFFECTIVELY IN THAT AREA. AND THEN WE WENT TO VERIZON.

VERIZON WORKS ON SOME OF THE STREETS IN FLAGLER AND FINALLY WE HAD TO GO TO AT&T. I THINK THE BIG DIFFICULTY IN THOSE AREAS IS THERE IS NO HARD WIRE SERVICE.

THAT'S WHERE I DID A LITTLE RESEARCH.

I AM NOT AN EXPERT. BUT IN COMMUNICATING WITH COMCAST IT IS NOT OUT THERE AND AT&T IS NOT OUT THERE AND SPECTRUM WHICH IS ANOTHER BIG CABLE PROVIDER.

IT DOESN'T SERVICE THAT AREA. I THINK THAT'S THE MISSING LINK. IT IS WHETHER THERE IS FUNDS TO DO ANY KIND OF PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BIG INTERNET SOURCE

[02:30:04]

>> SO MY -- MY RECOMMENDATION, IS THERE ANY CONSENSUS FROM THE BOARD THAT WE ASK OUR STAFF TO WORK WITH THEIR COUNTERPARTS ON THIS AND SEE IF THEY CAN BRING IT BACK? I WANT TO UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE A LITTLE MORE AND WHAT ROLE WE CAN PLAY WITH THE -- WHAT THE RELATIONSHIP IS AND HOW TO DO IT. I THINK WE RECOGNIZE IT AS A PROBLEM, BUT I WANT TO KNOW WHAT ROLE THE COUNTY HAS.

IS THERE BOARD CONSENSUS IN ASKING MR. CONRAD TO DIRECT STAFF TO WORK WITH COUNTERPARTS.

DO YOU HAVE ANYMORE INSIGHTS? >> I DO NOT, MR. CHAIR.

I I KNOW MS. ANDREWS IS HERE AND SHE CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MAY HAVE ABOUT THE OUTLAY WHEN COVID STARTED. WHATEVER THE BOARD WILLS FOR US TO WORK WE ARE HAPPY TO SUPPORT.

>> IS THERE INTEREST IN THE BOARD IN ASKING -- MR. DEAN?

>> YES. >> SO Y'ALL CAN LOOK INTO THAT

[5. Opportunities for a Graduation Venue within St. Johns County]

>> MS. ANDREWS, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING FOR US?

THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> APPRECIATE IT. >> AND NOW WE WILL MOVE TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FIVE AND THIS IS OPPORTUNITIES FOR A GRADUATION VENUE WITHIN ST. JOHNS COUNTY.

I KNOW MR. CHAIRMAN YOU AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS.

>> YES. >> MANY TIMES.

I WILL LET YOU TAKE THE FIRST STAB AT THIS.

>> WELL, I THINK THE GROWTH OF THE COMMUNITY CERTAINLY IS AFFECTING HOW AND WHEN AND WHERE WE GRADUATE OUR 12TH GRADERS. DID -- AND MANY OF YOU KNOW THIS. MOST OF YOU COME OUT OF THE COUNTY TO UNF AND SPENDS QUITE A BIT OF MONEY FOR THE GRADUATION. I FORGET EXACTLY WHAT THE DOLLAR AMOUNT IS. IT IS 20,000, 25,000 FOR SCHOOLS SOMEWHERE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND SO I HAVE ALWAYS WISHED AND I KNOW OTHER MEMBERS ON THE SCHOOL BOARD HAVE A MEETING AND I WANT TO SAY IT WAS FIVE YEARS AGO WITH MR. -- HE SHOWED UP AND THE CITY IS THERE AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF DOING SOMETHING.

OF COURSE IT ALWAYS COMES DOWN TO DOLLARS AND THEY ARE TAKING THE BULL BY THE HORN AND GOING FORWARD.

WHAT ELSE ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH IT? UNLESS IT SUSTAINS ITSELF IT WILL NOT BE A REALISTIC OPTION. WE HAVE TWO SCHOOLS THAT TYPICALLY GRADUATE AT THE AMPHITHEATER AND THAT IS ST.

AUGUSTINE HIGH SCHOOL AND UNLESS THEIR CLASS IS TOO BIG AND THEY GRADUATED AT THE FAM -- AT THE AMPHITHEATER.

AND IT IS PERFECT AND IT -- WE HAVE BEEN TO MANY GRADUATIONS THERE WHERE IT IS RAINING AND IT IS LIGHTNING AND IT IS ALWAYS HOT. WHEN YOU ARE ON THE STAGE WITH A SUIT ON AND THEY ARE OUT THERE WITH A ROBE ON, IT IS CERTAINLY NOT IDEAL CIRCUMSTANCES AND SO THIS IS ANOTHER AREA WHERE -- I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS WILL EVER HAPPEN WHERE THEY ARE COMING FORWARD AND THINKING THEY CAN MAKE A DOLLAR ON A LARGE CENTER THAT CAN BE USED FOR VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENTS AND BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS.

I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED ANOTHER CONCERT VENUE, BUT THAT IS THE KIND OF THING THAT WILL SUSTAIN IT.

IT IS GREAT FOR THEM TO GRADUATE AND IT IS A DREAM AND IT IS ON THE AGENDA TODAY. WE MET IN THE OFFICE AND I DON'T KNOW DID YOU TAKE MINUTES.

>> I DON'T THINK SO. I WENT BACK TO MINE.

[02:35:03]

WE HAD A VERY GOOD GROUP OF PEOPLE THERE.

I THINK IT WAS A VERY STRONG GROUP OF REPRESENTATION OF THE COUNTY AND THOSE THAT UNDERSTAND THE LARGE VENUES AND THE NEED AND ALSO THE SYMPATHY TOWARD THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE DESIRE AND THE DREAM.

WE HAD IN THAT ROOM -- WE HAVE MIKE THERE AT THE TIME AND IT IS CLEAR FROM THE COUNTY AND THEY ALSO HAD MR. FORSON AND DR. JOYNER WAS THERE, ET CETERA.

ONE OF THE PEOPLE I THOUGHT WAS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT IS IT WAS A LYNCH PIN TO UNDERSTANDING THIS DESIRE WAS AT THE TIME JOE PICKENS. JOE PICKENS, THE FORMER STATE LEGISLATOR FROM SOUTHERN PUTNAM COUNTY AND THE CURRENT PRESIDENT OF ST. JOHNS RIVER -- RIVER STATE COLLEGE.

HE TESTIFIED THAT HE UNDERSTOOD THE SITUATION AND PROVIDED A STRONG RECOMMENDATION THAT ST. JOHNS RIVER STATE COLLEGE HAD A FACILITY BUILT WITH STATE FUNDS IN CLAY COUNTY. THAT'S WHERE THEY DO THEIR GRADUATIONS. IT WAS AN ENORMOUS FACILITY THAT HOUSES A LOT OF THINGS THAT THEY DO ESPECIALLY BEING THE SCHOOL OF THE ARTS AS WELL.

I HAVE ATTENDED AT LEAST ONE GRADUATION OF ONE OF MY CHILDREN FROM ST. JOHNS RIVER STATE COLLEGE IN THAT PARTICULAR BUILDING. AND THE FACILITY.

IT IS VERY LARGE. IT IS A LARGE PARKING LOT AND LARGE INTERIOR TO HOUSE. I DON'T KNOW IF IT WILL EVEN ACCOMMODATE WHAT WE HAVE IN REGARDS TO SOME OF OUR GRADUATIONS FROM SOME OF OUR KIDS.

NONETHELESS HE SAID IF IT WAS GIFTED THAT, AGAIN, ST. JOHNS RIVER STATE COLLEGE AND I WROTE THESE WORDS DOWN CANNOT AFFORD IT. AND THE REASON WAS WAS THAT THE RESOURCES NECESSARY TO MAKE SUCH A SUCCESSFUL AND ENORMOUS RISK. ST. JOHNS COUNTY WE HAVE THE FACILITIES THAT WILL HOUSE THE LARGER NUMBERS OF PEOPLE.

I JUST NAMED A FEW. THE CONVENTION CENTER AND I THINK IT IS UNDER UTILIZED AT THIS POINT.

IT IS DEFINITELY UNDER UTILIZED AT THIS POINT AND IT IS THE CONCERT HALL AND THE FAIRGROUNDS AND EQUESTRIAN CENTER. THE THINGS WE HAVE MAINTAINED THAT ARE UNDER UTILIZED. IN THIS PANDEMIC RIGHT NOW I THINK THERE IS A LOT OF RISK TO EVEN PUT THIS ON THE TABLE WITH HAVING A FACILITY THAT I THINK NEED TO BE UTILIZED EVEN MORE. SO WE HAVE PLENTY OF PLACES THAT WE CAN PROVIDE FOR LARGE GATHERINGS AND IT APPEARS AT THIS POINT NOT TO BE ADEQUATE TO USE TAXPAYER DOLLARS IN THERE AND THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO IT WITH A PRIVATE PPP, A PRIVATE-PUBLIC PARTNERSHIP AND SOMEBODY THAT CAN SEE IT AS BEING A MUCH MORE MULTI-PURPOSED FACILITY AND THEN YOU RUN INTO SOME COMPETITIVE ISSUES AS WELL.

THAT'S WHY UNF LIKES IT. THEY JUSTIFY IT WITH SOME OF THE DOLLARS THAT ARE SPENT IN THE SAINT JOHNS COUNTY THERE AS -- ST. JOHNS COUNTY AS WELL.

I THOUGHT HAVING JIM PICKENS THERE WAS A VITAL PART OF THE CONVERSATION AND IT WOULD BE PRUDENT TO BRING HIM BACK AND TO BE REVISITED IN CASE WE NEED TO BE BROUGHT TO REMEMBRANCE AND SOME OF THE THINGS HE BROUGHT TO THE TABLE. I DON'T KNOW WITH THE COSTS GOING UP AS WELL THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS TO CONSIDER.

BUT NONE THE NONETHELESS THAT WAS MY COMMENTS ON THIS ONE AND I REALLY APPRECIATE AND I WANT TO SAY THIS TO THE COMMISSIONER, THAT HE -- THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN HIS DESIRE FOR A LONGTIME. I WAS CHAIRMAN AT THE TIME AND YOU BROUGHT TOGETHER THE MEETING AND THANK YOU FOR

DOING IT. >> YOU BROUGHT UP A GOOD POINT. WE HAVE THE OVERALL ABILITY AND AS THE SCHOOL BOARD LOOKED HAVE THEY USED THAT FACILITY

IN THE PAST? >> OVER AT THE CONVENTION

CENTER. >> YOU KNOW, IT JUST DOES NOT

HAVE THE CAPACITY. >> WHAT IS THE -- AGAIN, JUST HELP -- MAYBE AGAIN THIS IS WHY WE WANTED THIS OPPORTUNITY TO COME TOGETHER AND DISCUSS IT, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSIONS PRIOR TO THIS.

WHAT IS THE CAPACITY THE SCHOOL BOARD NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A GRADUATION? I'M ASSUMING IT IS A JOINT GRADUATION WITH ALL OF THE HIGH SCHOOLS.

CAN YOU OUTLET THAT FOR US? >> EVEN SINGULAR GRADUATIONS LIKE RIGHT NOW WE TALKED EARLIER AND NIECE HAS 3,000

[02:40:02]

I THINK YOU HAVE TO HAVE A 5,000 TO 8,000-SEAT KIND OF A VENUE. REALLY THE ARENA AND I THINK IT SITS AT ABOUT FIVE AND IT IS -- THAT IS -- WE PACK IT FOR A NIECE HIGH SCHOOL OR THE TRAIL.

THE REALITY IS TO GO WITH THE LARGER IF YOU WANT A SINGLE VENUE FOR THE HIGH SCHOOLS. AS MUCH AS I WOULD LOVE TO SAY WE WOULD LIKE TO REDUCE THE SIZE OF THE HIGH SCHOOLS, THEY

WILL CONTINUE TO GROW BACK UP. >> DO WE KNOW THE CAPACITY?

>> I KNOW THAT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAS DONE A NUMBER OF EVENTS IN THERE AND I KNOW THERE IS USUALLY ABOUT 1500 TO 2,000 AT THE END OF THE YEAR EVENT.

IT IS PRETTY PACKED AND THAT IS OPENING UP MULTIPLE SPACES. THERE IS A NUMBER OF PIECES THAT ARE NOT OPEN AND PARTITIONS THAT ARE NOT OPENED DURING THAT. I DON'T KNOW IF THE SCHOOL EXTENDS 5,000 TO 8,000. I ASSUME THE CAPACITY OF WHAT IS IN THERE AND WHAT I WITNESSED FIRSTHAND AND WHAT I KNOW THERE TO BE IS CLOSE TO 2,000 ON 2500 AND THAT WOULD

BE PRETTY PACKED IN THERE. >> HAS THE SCHOOL BOARD EXPLORED IN -- ANY -- YOU MENTIONED PUBLIC-PRIVATE, COMMISSIONER SMITH. HAS ABOUT BEEN ANY DISCUSSION -- CAN YOU REMIND US WHERE THE SCHOOL BOARD IS WITH THIS? OBVIOUSLY THERE IS SUPPORT THAT IS NEEDED, BUT MAYBE FILL

US IN. >> NOT THAT I KNOW OF.

FROM THE MEETING WE ARE TALKING OF A FEW YEARS BACK THERE WAS FOLLOW-UP I THINK WITH FLAGLER COLLEGE.

THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME POTENTIAL THERE, BUT IT DIDN'T -- FOR REASONS I AM NOT AWARE OF OR DON'T REMEMBER IT DIDN'T PAN OUT. SO IT REALLY IS A DOUR LANT -- A DORMANT TOPIC. THAT'S BECAUSE OF FUNDING.

I AM GOING TO ANNOUNCE RIGHT NOW THAT IF YOU ALL WILL BUILD A CONVOCATION CENTER ALL OF THE HIGH SCHOOLS WILL GIVE YOU 25,000 A YEAR AND WE WILL KEEP THE MONEY IN THE COUNTY.

I SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD.

I HOPE THAT WAS FAIR. >> COMMISSIONER SMITH?

>> I MEAN, WE ARE TALKING A FACILITY THAT IS THE SIZE -- I MEAN IT IS BIGGER THAN THE NORTHROP DRUMMOND HANGAR.

THERE IS NOTHING LARGE ENOUGH TO COVER 8,000, 10,000 PEOPLE. THAT IS A BIG LIFT.

I THANK YOU FOR THE OFFER THOUGH.

25,000 TIMES SIX IS A BIG HELP.

>> WE ARE GETTING MORE HIGH SCHOOLS EVERY YEAR.

THAT WILL ONLY GO UP. >> ONE IN HASTINGS WOULD BE GREAT. MAYBE IT WILL RESULT SOME OF THE INTERCONNECT TIFF TEE ISSUES AS WELL.

>> SOMETHING THAT SIZE -- [INAUDIBLE]

>> NEVER ATTENDED A GRADUATION IN ONE OF OUR LARGE HIGH SCHOOLS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH FLORIDA.

THERE IS A LONG TRACK AND THEY HAVE THE FACILITIES BUT THEY ARE EXPENSIVE. IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE.

>> I DID WANT TO MENTION ONE THING.

YOU WERE ASKING IF ANY PUBLIC-PRIVATE HAD BEEN EXPLORED. A LONGTIME AGO WHEN COMMISSIONER STEVENSON SERVED ON THE COMMISSION, SHE APPROACHED THE BEST BET. AT THAT TIME SHE WAS TOLD THE FACILITIES WERE IN SUCH POOR CONDITION IT WOULD NOT BE A GOOD INVESTMENT. OF COURSE NOW THAT IS MOOT CONSIDERING THAT IT IS GOING A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.

PEOPLE HAVE TRIED FOR MANY, MANY, MANY YEARS TO FIND THE

SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. >> WE ARE NOT GOING TO FIND A SOLUTION AT THIS MEETING. THIS IS MORE OF A DISCUSSION POINT. HAS THE SCHOOL BOARD EITHER HIRED A CONSULTANT IN THE PAST THAT IS INTERESTED OR IS THERE INTEREST TO HIRE A CONSULTANT TO LOOK AT THE FEASIBILITY? THERE ARE QUESTIONS I HAVE ON THE LOCATION OF IT.

OBVIOUSLY THERE IS PARKING CONCERNS.

I THINK WE ALL RECOGNIZE THAT THERE IS A NEED AND HOW WE MEET THAT NEED I THINK WOULD BE THE CHALLENGE.

HAS THE SCHOOL BOARD LOOKED AT THAT OR CONSIDERED AS AN OPTION HAVING A CONSULT AT THE PRESENT TIME LOOK INTO THIS?

>> I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE. WE NEVER HAVE, NO.

IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING TO EXPLOR IN THE FUTURE.

BUT AS COMMISSIONER SMITH ELUDED TO, IT MIGHT BE BAD

[02:45:01]

TIMING WITH COVID. >> JUST TO BE CLEAR, WE HAVEN'T REALLY TALKED ABOUT IT AS A SCHOOL BOARD IN QUITE AWHILE. I AM HAPPY TO SEE IT HERE ON THE AGENDA. IT MAY INSPIRE SOME MORE TALK.

AND THEN ALSO SOME MORE JOINT MEETINGS ABOUT IT.

>> YOU KNOW, IT IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS IS IT WORTH THE TIME TO TALK ABOUT IT? IS IT TOO MUCH OF A DREAM? I DON'T KNOW. I THINK WE HAVE TO -- WE CAN'T GIVE UP ON IT. PERHAPS WE CAN PUT IT ON A FUTURE WORKSHOP TO AT LEAST MAYBE BRAINSTORM OURSELVES AND THEN WE CAN COMMUNICATE ANY IDEAS WITH YOU AND

VICE-VERSA. >> ABSOLUTELY.

I THINK THE REST OF THE BOARD WOULD AGREE WITH THIS IS WE HAVE SEEN MORE PRIVATE- PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES COME TO ST. JOHNS COUNTY, BY THE DAY.

AND WE ARE BEING APPROACHED BY MORE.

A PROBLEM THAT EXISTED 10 YEARS AGO AND MAYBE THE SOLUTION WOULD BE DIFFERENT 10 YEARS FROM NOW.

SO I AM INTERESTED IN PURSUING THE DISCUSSION, BUT I THINK

[6. Future/Other Business]

I WANT TO RAISE A POSSIBILITY OF TODAY IF THERE IS AGREEMENT ON SCHEDULING ANOTHER MEETING POTENTIALLY IN THE FALL TO GIVE US ALL TIME TO GO BACK AND WORK WITH OUR STAFF AND HAVE OUR STAFFS TALK AND MAYBE DO SOME FOLLOW-UP.

IN ADDITION TO THAT OBVIOUSLY MR. FORSOM AND MR. CONRAD AND MR. MCCORMICK, THEY ARE CONSTANTLY IN COMMUNICATION.

I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO BRING UP MAYBE IF THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO IDENTIFY A COUNTY COMMISSIONER THAT CAN BE A LIAISON TO THE SCHOOL BOARD.

OBVIOUSLY WE ARE ALWAYS TALKING, BUT MAYBE THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT COMMISSIONER TO ATTEND WORKSHOPS AND TO BE MORE INVOLVED AND VICE-VERSA.

I JUST BRING IT UP AS A DISCUSSION POINT AND SEW IF

THERE IS INTEREST IN THAT. >> YOU KNOW, I THINK THE BEST THING FOR US TO DO IS TO GO BACK AS A BOARD AND DISCUSS ALL OF THESE OPTIONS. I DON'T SEE ANY NEGATIVE TO MEETING AGAIN IN THE FALL. I DON'T PERSONALLY SEE A NEGATIVE TO A LIAISON. MR. WALDRON WAS COMING TO ALL OF OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS AND I HOPE TO SEE HIM AGAIN

THERE. >> I AM HAPPY TO VOLUME --

VOLUNTER. >> THE REASON WE HAVE HIM COME IS WE ARE MEETING EVERY TUESDAY.

[INAUDIBLE]. >> I THINK THOSE ARE GREAT IDEAS SO WE CAN TALK AND COMMUNICATE BACK WITH YOU.

>> ABSOLUTELY. IS THERE ANY FEEDBACK FROM

COMMISSIONERS? >> NO, JUST ANOTHER BUSINESS.

I HAVE AN ITEM I WOULD LIKE TO BRING UP AND IT IS NOT

REGARDING THAT. >> IS THERE ANYMORE DISCUSSION ON THIS AS FAR AS FUTURE MEETINGS OR INTEREST?

IS THERE A CONSENSUS? >> I AM ALL FOR IT.

WE CAN MEET NEXT FALL. >> IF YOU ARE IN OTHER BUSINESS I HAVE ONE ITEM I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT.

I AM FOR PUTTING ANYMORE ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITY ON

RUPAUL -- ON PAUL WALTER. >> COMMISSIONER WHITEHURST.

>> MR. COMRADE, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO WORK WITH US.

COMMISSIONER SMITH? >> I DIDN'T PUT IT ON THE REGULAR AGENDA BECAUSE I KNEW WE WOULD BEACON SUMMED WITH -- BE CONSUMED WITH OTHER MATTERS.

UPON THE DISILLUSION OF THE TOWN OF TASTING -- HASTINGS, WE INHERITED THE HASTINGS SCHOOLS AND IT HOUSES THE BRANCH LIBRARY WHICH FOR MANY YEARS HAS RENDERED A LEASE FROM THE TOWN OF HASTINGS. ST. JOHNS COUNTY HAS DUTIFULLY INVESTED USES FOR THE FACILITY AND PROVED TO BE COST PROHIBITIVE TO UTILIZE IT. IT WAS PROBABLE FOR ST. JOHNS COUNTY TO REVERT THE PROPERTY BACK TO ST. JOHNS COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD. ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE A USE FOR IT. HOWEVER, THE CONTRACTOR WE INHERITED REQUIRES DEMOLITION OF THE FACILITY.

IT WOULD BE A SHAME TO DESTROY THIS HISTORIC PROPERTY.

IT IS ONE THAT WAS TAUGHT IN IN THE 1960S, IF IT COULD BE UTILIZED. OUR STAFF HAS LOOKED INTO THIS.

WE PREPARED SOME REVISION LANGUAGE AND FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION I WOULD LIKE TO BRING THAT UP IN PUBLIC DISCUSSION. I THINK IT WILL BE VERY HELPFUL. IT IS A SCHOOL BOARD PROPERTY. IT WAS A SCHOOL BOARD PROPERTY AND CAN BE IF YOU SEE FIT TO HAVE IT BACK.

[02:50:03]

I KNOW IT IS KIND OF A HASTY AND IMPROMPTU ITEM AND I WOULD NEVER ASK FOR ACTION. I DON'T LIKE TO BE PUT ON THE SPOT LIKE THAT, BUT I DO WANT IT TO BE UNDERSTOOD AND CONSIDERED. I THINK EVEN OUR BOARD WOULD

BE CONSIDERATE OF IT. >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS.

MS. ANDREWS, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING?

>> GOOD MORNING. WITH ME I ACTUALLY HAVE A PACKAGE OF REALLY THE CURRENT LEASE IN THE RELEVANT PROVISION TO WHAT COMMISSIONER SMITH IS MAKING MENTION.

IT IS SECTION A WHICH REALLY -- I CAN PUT THAT OVERHEAD IF NECESSARY. IT IS SECTION A FAILURE OF THE TOWN TO MEET THE TIME FRAMES ESTABLISHED FOR PLANNING AND PROVING AND BEGINNING OR COMPLETING RENOVATION OF THE BUILDING AND SIDEWALK WILL CONSTITUTE A DEFAULT OF THE TOWN SHALL UPON -- RETAIN WRITTEN NOTICE EMPLOYED -- PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL BOARD BE REQUIRED TO DEMOLISH THE BUILDING AND ALL ACCESSORIES AND STRUCTURE AT NO COST TO THE SCHOOL BOARD AND TO RECONVEY THE PROPERTY TO THE SCHOOL BOARD TO -- FREE AND CLEAR OF ALL LIENS AND INCOME BRENS AND -- INCOME -- INCUMBERECE OF ANY BUILDING OF ASBESTOS. PARAGRAPH 3 THERE OF REGARDING DEFENSE THERE OF AND HOLDING HARMLESS SHALL HOLD CONVEYANCE TO THE SCHOOL BOARD. TO COMMISSIONER SMITH'S POINT, MR. CHAIR, THE REVISION IS THAT WE ARE PROPOSING IF THAT IS A DESIRE OF THE BOARD AND THE SCHOOL BOARD IS TO REMOVE THE CONDITION OF THE DEMOLITION AND TO BE READ AS FOLLOWS. A SHALL BE THE COUNTY AND THE SCHOOL BOARD. THE COUNTY MAY RECONVEY THE PROPERTY TO THE SCHOOL BOARD FREE AND CLEAR OF ALL LIENS AND INCOME BRENSES IN AND AS IS -- IN AN AS IS CONDITION.

THAT IS THE ONLY REVISION WE WOULD PROPOSE IF THAT IS THE

DESIRE OF THE TWO BOARDS. >> MR. SMITH?

>> AND WE WOULD PROBABLY CONTINUE TO ACTUALLY OFFER YOU A LEASE ON IT FOR A YEAR FOR THE HASTINGS LIBRARY, AT LEAST FOR SOME TIME, MR. CANAN. I DON'T THINK IT WILL COUNTER YOUR OTHER ONE, BUT NONETHELESS.

>> FOR $25,000. >> JUST FOR CONSIDERATION, PLEASE I THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THAT.

THAT IS A LOT TO CHEW ON AT THIS POINT, BUT WE WILL HAVE MS. ANDREWS CONTINUE TO PURSUE THIS.

>> YEAH, I DON'T THINK ANY OF US ARE PREPARED TO TALK ABOUT THAT, BUT I THINK WE CAN PUT THAT ON A WORKSHOP AGENDA AND GET MORE INFORMATION AND BE IN A BETTER POSITION TO

COMMUNICATE BACK TO YOU. >> THANK YOU.

>> IS THERE ANY OTHER BUSINESS? BEFORE WE -- WE WILL GO INTO GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT AND I WANT TO RECOGNIZE WE HAVE TWO DIFFERENT CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS HERE.

EDDIE KRAMER. EDDIE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND ADDRESS THE BOARD OR IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING PERTINENT TO SAY OR YOU ARE ENJOYING IT? ALSO WE HAVE OUR CLERK OF COURT, BRANDON PADDY HERE.

MR. PADDY, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING FOR US?

[Public Comment (Part 2 of 2)]

>> NO. >> THANK Y'ALL FOR COMING AND THANK YOU FOR SITTING THROUGH THE MEETING AND PARTICIPATING. WE ALSO HAVE OUR SHERIFF IN THE BACK. SHERIFF, ANYTHING FURTHER YOU HAVE? I DON'T THINK I MISSED ANYONE ELSE. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF STAFF FROM BOTH OF OUR COLLECTIVE BODIES.

WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO RIGHT NOW IS GO TO THE PHONES AND SEE IF WE CAN GO TO GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT.

>> PATRICK, I NEED TO READ THE, I GUESS, WHAT I WILL CALL THE INTRODUCTION -- THE GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT.

WOULD YOU RECOMMEND THAT? >> MR. VICE CHAIR, I DON'T THINK YOU NEED TO. I THINK YOU CAN JUST OPEN IT

UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. >> THANK YOU.

OKAY. WE WILL NOW HAVE GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT. THREE MINUTES, NAME AND ADDRESS AND I DON'T SEE ANY CALLS RIGHT NOW.

SO WE ARE GOING TO THE AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION UNTIL

WE GET CALLS. >> KIM KENDAL, 856 EAGLE POINT DRIVE. THIS IS FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD.

FORGIVE ME IF Y'ALL ALREADY HAVE THIS.

I WANTED TO BRING THIS TO YOUR ATTENTION.

A FEW YEARS BACK I SERVED ON THE STATE'S DIGITAL

[02:55:04]

THANKS. >> THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER -- ANY FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY? I DON'T SEE ANY CALLS. I THINK THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC

COMMENT. >> CAN WE JUST DOUBLE CHECK?

>> CAN THE CONTROL ROOM LET ME KNOW IF WE ARE GOOD? ANY CALLS PENDING?

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.